THE ALU BLACKS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 144, 12 March 1908, Page 9

THE ALU BLACKS.

THE FIRST OF THE TEST MATCHES. ' LOST BY EIGHT POINTS. (By A. H.' Baskervillo.)! . Northern Union (4 tries,' 1 goal) 14 Now, Zealand (2 tries) ... 6 , • The first of' tho three "test"4 matches arranged, between' 'tho..New Zealandero and tho full strength of tlio Northern Union took placo last Saturday;; January 25, ; ' at tho lieadingley ground, Locds. , A record week's fog, though it dispersed in tho morning, kept peoplo at' a distance away, and also had a.marked effect, on local enthusiasts. • Even taking this into account, tho attendance jvas disappointing, only about, 8000 people lining the enclosure, at least 16,000 had boon anticipated. .: ' ' THE TEAMS. ' 1' ' The Northern Union team was:-' Pull-back, H. Taylor '.(Hull); tlireequarters, : •A. Hogg (Brougliton;, T. Llewellyn (Oldham), B. Jenkuis and J. Leytham (AVigan) jV halves, J. Jolley (Runcorn; and J. Thomas 'OVigan); forwards, Iluddick (Broughton), . I). Jones .(Merthyr), A. Robinson (Halifax),'A. Smith (Olctham)', H. :l \Vilson' (Hunslet), and T. Warwick (Salford). It was predicted .that such a collection of talent,,, would, easily prevail .after,tho losses sustained by tho ''All blacks" lately, but this was ''not the case. The game was by no means one-sided. •; ■ V The New Zealanders were': unfortunately without Messenger. . Ho/ and Byrne had to be left .behind at Blackpool, down, with inilueriza,', which at present., is playing havoc, with sonie. members.' ; Wrigley 'was also' a sufferer, in : this- respect, but :he>'took-tho field, and managed to ' last' out tho game, though evidently not "at,his best form; Thp "AH Blocks" .mWci-o represented by Turtill, Rowe,' Smith,' 'Wr.igleyj' l-oddi' Iti' 1 \Vynyard, :Kelly, 'Cross,. Gilchrist, rearce,;. Wright, Johnston".'and Trevarthen;.': • ■s. ■ A CHANCE LOST. ' 1 England, secured : great advantage by miining the toss, and taking the aid of the. strong breeze - blowing' in the. first' ; spell; .'The "All /Blacks" started in a businesslike manner, with 'their kick; off..' • They..rushed to- tho Homo lino and securwl . from a scrum there, but, Kelly's ,pass werik;astray and spoiled a chance. The Northern Unionists by fine passing';'reached neutral' territory, again. After: several' scrums»there tliey worked.; to our line', but .'Wright and Gilchrist, headed, a-j rush, to .halfway: : ' Smith aud. Todd several tinies by tine tackling staved off attacks, 'New Zealand onco : having to force down. -The Home team secured a mark ; but failed to open tho -scoring' with a shot at, goal. 1 Smith relieved 'by. running niagnificohtly.. from'his own lino to halfway—right througu his opponents. Tho : itlack forwards' carried on -by passing to -the ■ Home 25. Tho advantage .was lost by i'penalty;kick; and was regained; by.'/Turtill ' with a fine . line kick. Johnston was next,conspicuous, by making a fino long run; then Todd did t-ho 'samo and .oarried. play to tho Northorii : line;A pass forward .there lost' a- likely- chance pf a'score. -New' Zealand .was awarded a .freo kick in a' fair' ' position,'' but -Wrigley failed':.to : 'accept ihu opportunity; ', " i," HOME TEAM 'BEGINS 'TO. SCORE. . Tho Homo forwards rushed to our line. Kelly reliovcd for a while with a -fine dribble ,to halfway, but, they-attacked again. Jolley secured and dropped :a '■ tind : goal' from , the !field;' thus starting tho -score with' two 'points for the Northern Union. t V: . - Thirty minutes bad [' 'elapsed ..'-/before this: 'came, about. Tlio Homo teani.worked:'as if ,to make up for lost time: Jolvnstori.sent theui back ,by a fine dribble to halfway; Rowo was penalised; ':but' the /Home ( team failed to| find tho- goal./'A' fino series >of 'passes',-' initiated, by- Smith, carried'play i froni-our line to: halfway. ■■ The -Home team secured • from'a scrum at the quarter wayj arid magrii-' ficent passing.' .enabled Leytharii'to, scrapo in at tho'conicivllag; J Ho failed/to coriyert' his own try. ' '. '

. A few minutes later.'tho,Home .team scored another remarkable . try.A . forward, rush carried. pkty ; io ' New Zealand's territory. The ball;.went'oiit ■ to, a back, 1 who; cross-kicked ,agai n'to; tlio: forwards, land Robinson raii'past Johnston'and scored, a soft try—also, uncour' verted. . ' 1 ' ; v •; \ . Thb':' Northe'rn'Union jteam, again: assumed' the aggressive, aiidSyeiit -near to Scoring; An attempt at ; goal'from' a'mark failed. .. Then. ;lialf-titiio 'arrived with 'tho Home 'team eight 'clear'points' in .advance. V ." ; V ... ' SECOND HALF. , New Zealand now.'.'had, the wind, but at first-did not sewn to,profit by it, 'as thp' Home sido attacked'until repelled-by a free--kick. -Todd dribbled-in ;remarkablo fashion'| half tho length of tho field.Johnston arid ■ R:' Wynyard swopt the, ball'over : thfl Home i line in. the, same maimer, but a defender ■ snatched, a force just in'.'time. •. V ' They gained access to. our 25 by fine passing; ; but.',Kelly';' and R. . Wynyard ' ran back again: to:'the opposite,end. : 'However, they, worked-.'beck eventually,'and by lino'passing placed;' Llewellyn in 'a;, good position, which to, score an unconverted try. '.' Tho Northern-Union followed this up with a strong attack, but Cross by' smart work re- ■ moved play'to halfway.;. Turtill followed up a high kick ,to placo/his comrades on. side,' and "they .started passing when this had been ,dono'.; A' series ;of . short transfers enabled full-back .Turtill to run over;- and- score a pretty. , try—his ;.first in, England from- thfit, position. . This Wrigley failed to ,better.' R;, Wynyard intercepted a.pass at halfway, and ran on his own ju> the ! Homo full-back-.' Lack' of- support at- this- sta'go lost a fine opportunity to scqrb. Todd\was"prominent, later by running well; The Homo forwards Crushed over tho Blacks line, and Robinson seorwl" His , .second .try that. day for. 1 thorn ncar the'.po'sts. Tho kick,, however,' failed, to augment tho score ; : j. THE FINAL TRY'. i Johnston was mainly responsible for another New; Zealand''try. - . Ho mado a tb- ' markablo dribble,; and - snapped up tho ball. After running some distance, ho passed: to Cross, who handed on to R. Wynyard. The latter dashed over'near tho corner arid scored, the final try, wliich Turtill failed.,to better.■■ This closed tho' scoring,' arid left tho points Northern Union 14, Now.i Zealand ,6. ; Fine looso exhilarating play. continued. about neutral ground for a Jew minutes, until at length tho final whistlo isoundkl. . An outstanding ■ feature of j the match was the brilliancy, of the two team's full-backs—. Turtill and Taylor. ■ Besides, scoring a meritorious : try> ..tho former was ever/conspicuous for clean and clever w&rk. ; , Smith, also s played well up to his great .refutation.' Tho crowd-gave him'a good hear-'' | ing',',' loudly' acclaiming" bis fino \work ,on different occasions. ~ .-.

Cross was-a > very conspicuous forward all through the game.: His work never flags. Gilchrist and Pearco also did very well. :

i i York (try ant) goal) . ... ... 5 ; New - Zealand (goal) ... .; ... 3 ' ..On' AVednesday,; January ••*29,' tho -"All Blacks'.', went to York'to fulfil a friendly engagement with tho linodittlo club thero. ; Tho morning of tho - match was lino, and 'tho Now Zealandors met with a great reception from tho crowd. ' They were ;driven' to tho Man-sion-House, ■ and there, received-by tho Lord Mayor and other ! prominent citizens, and entertained' to luncheon." ' After 'wero conducted through tlio ■ famous 'York Minster. ... ; ; Tho ground was in oxecrablo condition. A snow and rain stdrm swept oyer it! a fow minutes boforo tho match ' aud-rendorcd it much worso. A record /crowd for York assembled'to sco lis. " It', was our first Visit to that quarter and great'' interest'was aroused, although the match wris;' arranged at a few days notice.'. . Tho ; Ncw'zjcaland team' was—Tiirtill; Tyno, ■Rowe,' Smith, Todd,' Kelly, R, Wynyard, Dunning, Pearco, 'Tyler, Ma'ckrell, Wright, and' Cro3s. . '. ■ The "All Blacks" wero' unlucky at tho outset, Tyno havjng to leavo the field a few miuutos' after .tho start through an injury, Tho Now Zealaudors were' tlio. first to score. After repeated attempts, Wright securcd and mado a fine opening. R, Y/ynyaid, Todd,

Kelly, and Rowo tool: part in a magnificent, bit of passing, and the latter scored a good try at.tho corner. Turtill failed at goal. The performance was nearly repeated a few minutes later, Smith .made a magnificent run, about eight Now Zealandcrs handled tho ball, sweeping right up the field to tho' l'orklino. Mackrcil was tackled and. pulled down oil the line. ~ Cross, twice'battled t-hrougli but. was pulled'down a few yards short of tho goal.- . . I YORK LEADS. ■ Then York* got to New Zealand quarters., A high kick was taken well by 1 Turtill but ho wa-s overwhelmed -by several''Opponents, most of whom ,v.-ero yards olf side. Tho ball was carried. oror our lino and. a York player fell on it. Tho try was converted, making York 5, Now Zealand 3., This was all tho scoring. :■ _In the second spell both- sides had distinctly hard luck in not Scoring again. Twice tho '"All Blacks" ran over; tho lino, but passes wero ruled forward, and; twice York got in, but tho touch lino was too close and they found tho corner flag instead. Todd was. conspicuous soreral times for srilart work. Smith also played a great defensive game. .. In the,, forwards Dunning .and Mackroll wore seen- to advantago often. Cross also.played up to his'best forih. ■ Tyler was taken from tho pack arid placed in Tyno's vacated, wing threequarter position, but. tho heavy ground ; was against his stylo of: play. In fact this has been, tho .trouble with tho Now Zealand' team all along. . i After tho match' wo were royally entertained to dinner by the Conservative Candidate for York—Mr. Riley • Smith, tho millionaire brewer, of Tadcaster.