FOUND OUT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 231, 30 September 1935, Page 13

FOUND OUT.

THE ALL BLACK WEAKNESS. INSIDE BACKS BEATEN. "An event that happens only once in 30 years and consequently is viewed as a disaster," commented a keen local Rugby enthusiast when discussing the defeat of the All Blacks by Swansea. His remark recalls that one has to go back to December 10, 1905, to liiul the one previous defeat of a New Zealand Rugby football team in Britain—and that, too, was in Wales, when the, original All Blacks suffered the only defeat of their tour against the Welsh international side. The occasion and circumstances of the two games, however, arc parallel only in that New Zealand was the beaten side. In 1905 Wales was met towards tho end of a triumphal tour and the game was historic, not only because it was Now Zealand's only defeat, but also for tho reason that the defeated side claimed to have scored an equalising try which was disallowed. On this occasion tho New Zealandcrs have been defeated in the fifth match of their tour by a club team and by a decisive, clean-cut margin which precludes any doubt about which was the better team. On the cablcd account of the game, the result recalls disturbingly that before the team was selected in New Zealand a lack of high-class five-eighths was generally recognised, and though Tindill's aptness for the position in a trial (when shifted from the scrum half position) was considered to have solved tho selectors' problem, many had their doubts. Under the test of a club team possessing real class in the inside back positions the patched-up weakness in New Zealand's team apparently gave way when the forwards were kept so busy they could not reinforco the inside backs. That it was a danger recognised by Mr. Meredith is indicated by the nature of his experiments before deciding on his side for the international games. It is clear that a set of highclass inside backs will always worry the All Blacks unless the forwards can establish a definite ascendancy to relieve the weakness. The New Zealandcrs will have a hard match at Bristol on Thursday against a Gloucester-Somerset combination. On Saturday tliey arc to meet a North-umberland-Durham team, which is less formidable. Detailed results of the tour to date: — Devon and Cornwall, won, 35—6. Midland Counties, won, 9 —3. Yorkshire and Cumberland, won, 14—3. Abertillcry and Cross Kevs, won, 31—6. Swansea, lost, 3—ll.