Papers Shower Praise On N.Z.

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30367, 17 February 1964, Page 12

Papers Shower Praise On N.Z.

(N.Z. Press Assn—Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 16. British Sunday newspapers today showered praise on the New Zealand All Blacks Rugby team for its crushing victory yesterday over the Barbarians in the last match of its tour.

Several Rugby writers regretted that the New Zealanders had not played the same sort of Rugby in other major tour matches —but all paid tribute to their fine tour record. The New Zealanders won 32 matches, lost one and drew oneThe “Sunday Telegraph” Rugby writer, Wilfred Woolier, wrote: “Seldom, if ever, on this tour have the New Zealanders played with such carefree abandon. “One was left exhilarated and wondering at the quantity of points that could have been amassed by the visitors had this been standard policy.”

Woolier said the All Blacks’ win yesterday must rate as one of the best executed pieces of Rugby ever seen on the famous Cardiff Arms Park ground. “The fifth All Blacks return to New Zealand on Tuesday with a match record nearly equal to any touring side’s to the British Isles, and added to that are four successive victories in France,” he said.

“Unquestionably the results reflect the enormous forward power of New Zealand Rugby and in particular, the quality of their reserve strength.” Woolier added: “Victorious but not always pleasing, the visitors must not feel disgruntled if we still prefer the aesthetic appeal of our less dedicated and more improvised style of play. . . . Efficiency can be very boring."

John Reed, in the "Sunday Express,” wrote: "Thanks for the memory, New Zealand! This was a wonderful final festival of Rugby with which to end your tour of Britain and France, a, glorious exhibition of running and passing. . ..

“How fitting, too, that the last try of all should be scored by the All Blacks’ inspiring captain, Wilson Whineray. For it was his first and only try of the tour.” H. B. Toft in the “Observer,” said: “The All Blacks may pass this off as fairground stuff for a riotous goodbye, but they certainly proved to the onlooker, if not to themselves, that this is a style which suits them, as well as us, far better than the power play they have preferred for more serious occasions-”

Toft said this was by far the worst defeat of the Barbarians by a touring side — “but only because this was by far the best side ever played.” Vivian Jenkins, in the “Sunday Times,” said Whineray's try was “as splendid a final flourish as could possibly be imagined. "Nor could anything have been more fitting, because of all the captains that have ever led a touring team to Britain in my memory, this one, surely, must stand alone,” he said. Jenkins said the Barbarians had run into “a machine which seemed capable of running circles round any opposition in the world.” He said that their tour record in no way flattered the All Blacks, “and if they had always played like this they could have been hailed as the full equals of the 1905 and 1924 predecessors.” The “Sunday Mirror” described is as a memorable tour, but added: “But from a home point of view, this final match was a farce. “It is about time the Barbarians handed over to a British Lions side.