PRESS VIEW OF ALL BLACKS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27224, 16 December 1953, Page 14

PRESS VIEW OF ALL BLACKS

BACKS AGAIN CALLED INEPT WELSH CROWD’S BOOING “AN ENORMITY’’ (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 14. British football writers continue to be critical of the All Blacks’ play. Those who saw the match at Swansea refer to the back play as “inept,” and express disappointment at what they call the obvious lack of leadership, and what one of them describes as the All Blacks’ “curious lack of constructive thought.” Nearly all the critics condemn the “unsportsmanlike” barracking of the Swansea crowds. “The Times” says the New Zealanders once more emerged with scant credit as an attacking side. Their inability to cut out openings for themselves Scott excepted “remains a mystery, or at any rate an awkward and unwanted secret.” In a tribute to Scott, “The Times” says he was the one man “who refused to be submerged either by the poorness of the play or the growing excitement.” ~ It goes on: “Some spectators all too often expressed themselves by booing the referee and the more vigorous of the All Black forwards. “Finally, some of them disgraced themselves by raising a tumult when Scott took what might have been two decisive penalty kicks at goal. “In fairness, like all true Welsh crowds, they also were captured occasionally by the greatness of Scott, and they cheered some of his other kicks to the echo. How relieved one was to hear that. “The booing of a place-kicker as he i 3 about to steady himself is an enormity which must be exorcised if it is not to disgrace the Rugby game itself.” “Ball Well Heeled”

The “Manchester Guard ; an,” after referring to the “complete ineptitude of the New Zealand back play,” says the only thing the New Zealanders did well was to heel the ball, and this proved an unprofitable procedure. “They did this, however, cleanly and fairly— a fact that the unsportsmanlike but fortunately untypical Swansea crowd did not appreciate. “This badly-behaved crowd, which even barracked Scott as he was taking penalty kicks, was not wise enough to see how cleverly the New Zealanders timed their shove as the ball entered the scrum.” The “Daily Telegraph” says the All Blacks seemed to have no firm plan of attack, “but instead a sense of muddle which even the sallies of Scott among the three-quarters couldn’t sort out.” It also refers to the ‘‘regrettable and distressing” behaviour of the crowds. The “Daily Express” says the All Blacks should have won. “They had enough of the ball to win three matches. “But now the New Zealand back play has sunk to a level well below the standard of top-class British Rugby. What struck most forcibly was the dispirited showing of some of the New Zealand backs. “There seemed a ‘prima donna’ attitude among one of two acknowledged stars. I hope I was wrong, for I dearly love to see these hoys really open up and show us some of the great football the New Zealanders are capable of playing.”