THE ALL BLACKS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 138, 5 March 1908, Page 4

THE ALL BLACKS.

THE LANCASHIRE MATCH. * ..v.'(By A. H. Baskerville.,i- . ' Lancashire ... ... 20 points. ... Now Zealand . .... ; .... 4 points. : The.t-hird county match of tho "AH Black": touriturned outtobo as 'decisive a disaster to tho;team as tho victory in tho first- match \ ' with Yorkshire. County was, and, .strange to, say,; £ancashirp'. : w,Vs ,'at'':th6.r'bottom of tho •; table In tho county competition this season.' ■ • Tho . Lancishire ! team could; do nothing

- wrong during the day. Oil tlio other hand, tho Now ZealandDrs; wero all at sea as far • as pushing horoo attacks wero concerned, air .though they brought off :. . clever movement. . ■ W. 'Wynyard had to rotiro during tho first. - ; spoil through an injured shoulder;. This-up-set: our. combination, both 011 attack and dc- - fence.':, Howevor, Gilchrist, at'wing-thlee-quarters did remarkably -well, ..considering 1 he was; opposed to tho rcdoubtablo Leytham. 1 BEATEN AT EVERY POINT ■ TheY-weathcr - and ground ■ "conditions .'wero . favourable for a fast gainq, ;ahd. .tho. fiiio. sporting crowd wero obliged with an exlubi--1 tion which .must have ;beon .worth going a long way to sco. We.woro beat-en at every - point,.-and at what is--now , considered .in 'Xiorthern Union circles our own game. New.'Zealand won the toss, and:Lancashiro ■kicked'off: with tho slight .breeze -m their ? favour> but wore • soon on . tho ■ defensive. : iWngley was well-tackled m a dangerous posi-tion.-.R,.- Wynyard-subsequently served 'iWrigley . on tho blind sido- oh a'-scrum, and ihe was pushed into, the corner flag. ,-Mes-. - icenger; with a- good ' .tacklo,Vchecked;a j -(Lancashire attack, a third timo Wngley

;was foiled jn a.good positiott. :,- Messenger : . 'and Smith l cqrobined J 'We)l .m a raro passing ■ .xluet,: covering half tho field, but Lancashiro I'came bock with two grand passing rushes, -• and Tyson scored 011 tho second'occasion near

■ ".the corner flag. ■ This try wasuot,converted. ' ! LANCASHIRE MAKES ."NO MISTAKE. ( Even play followed for some time. > Smith toado a fine run and- dnbblo;v and tho ball ,eventually went to Wrigley,, who failed again - • io push, home.tho advantage.'-, Todd .made:-a run, and handed tho ball on to W; Wynward, who transferred,to Gilchrist, who was *77 iold up ;a' : few yards .'from.; the goal,posts.', 7lAt halr-way; ■ (tricked the defence around ;a, scrum", and S, .gave tho ball :ito Byrne, who' rah', to .tho full • 7; - oackj but' was unfortunately'tackled.": A pass 7 in to attendant supporters would have m 7 made tho: required' : differeiic6V:to, tho ■ scpre. Slessenger j.tb' ;pass wide out'-to- Smithj.^wlio'vliad^pa^tlear- - 7' tt«M.\c.: , critical: moment&KGiffdrcli gotVja'j.ti-yfr'iaftdr' fine passing, yand :7 ; ,'Half-time arfiv.e , d'Vith , 'L'aiicasHire;leading\by 8 points. "■ ' Jpon the resumptioii" of play Todd soon imado 'a fine' opening for; Messenger, who ran ; ■ ovei; the line,' but' tho;referee ViiJed 'the, pass' 7', a forward one. Wrigley had two tries to'put- } over freokicks, 1 but failcd in -each case: Todd: ;' 7was obstructed near tho cornej-, but the free 1 : kick was ,not'..turned to. a'ccount, by.i..Wrigley.. 'Byrne enabled later' to reach the >homo : 7' B o al|' buf no score resulted.; ;-|The ; Blacks wero V' dangerous' until; obstructed:-7-iTliis vtime 'Meb;, 7,;, jsenger; failed . to. kick a goal ; from the freo .kick.' Lancashire,'ilat<rj7interceptedia' t pass, 1 ! 1 iand._reachod' '7;'ißcoring:aairaronverted'.try'in . ascramble. * f MESSENGER ISCORES. ~: : R.:, Wynyard, ; after,;; making; avfirio .run, ; transferred:,..neatly. ,to...Johnstpn,7who, .was pulled down a Jew .yards short- of the' goal-' . line.' ..Byine. "then, gained a good scoring' ' ;poaUo^b)iit^jick|lyl(»t .'tKo ball.' ' Lanca- ' shire get ,off-sid6j ; 'to-' ; .: 'save air sitUa£ioii7^-a! trick often practised-by, j •Northw)i7 : TJSioiis% , '' ; 7 _ and Messenger'tsuc l ' j ceodedvinv placing.iiVgoal from the"/ft&"-ldck?* with aj:finejpass-i ?'ing rusli,;|wliicli!'jenaßled:Lsytham .tD.ilin.pa,st : ; •. unconverted'; try', near": i 'the corner':Tlio.Wew Z-ealanders next at- } ■, ■:tacked;^and; Messenger a;try7. 1 at his obstructed, and, taking;' ■ tho freo. kick himself, 1 landed another , goal;':! •Neiv Zealandlooked'dangerous again. ;i miniites latcr wlien'R. Wynyard transferred . to Todd in a good-position, .but no scoro re- ) suited.... ,-from a 'wide pass "from':'a scriim Loytham; evaded Gilchrist, and scored his second try, which ho converted himself.'. ' , . .Lancashire, 20 points j New, Zealand, 4 points- ' ' COkBINATION 'WEAK

i, .Tho .Athletic; News,"r referring- to: the xaatch stated: —r " Tho -Colonials. pla3'ed iwell : .in tho hrst half,- and perhaps did not'deserve- ' to be. 9 points behind/.but their combination ;<—argreat po'iufc : o'f 'the'"previous:.week'sihitclv. I—was completely overshadowded by'that of their opponents. Turtill . bravely struggled ; against odds, and Smith was iriany; tinies;.ac-' companied by Messenger, seen making itracks ... for tho . line.: A. Lancastrian,'- however,X'al- , .ways: happened to be about at tho-finish,' ■ and though -some, of tho/'checks.': in thofirstj of. .the game.;savdured. of., the ■ fortunate,' "they wero there, and that, is . the point. WntW,.was. uncertain,and % '.Wyiiyard's y injury nncl retirement broko up-thc combina-- - tion .completely between the 'half-back'and-tha five-eighths..- In catching the ball, punt- ■ ing, and delightful. passing .;movements , tho Colonials were oftontimcs brilliant " ;-wr "Wynyard's shoulder' will; keep him off I°£ .a..-few,< jv.«eks.„ 1 ..-41essenger,' Bvrno,and- ; ■ Jjilo aro now- under the influence of ; and confined to their beds; so that things do ? ofc too promising;.); . in practice, but 1 his knee,-.soon - failed -him again and made' playing in the " tests " impossible. i