THE TOUR REVIEWED.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 260, 27 July 1908, Page 9

THE TOUR REVIEWED.

VISITORS' BAD LUCK. The tour of. tlio Britishers was opened at Mastorton on May 23, and was brought to a close* as far as Now Zealand is concerned, with tho final test match played at Auckland on Saturday. The tourists played 18 matchos -in all," including ono scratch match against a Maori team at Rotorua. Leaving this game out of'tho calculations, tho visitors have won 9 matches, lost 7,' and drawn 1, scoring 184-points for and having 153 registered against them. Tho Britishers' scored in. every match of the tour with tho exception- of tho last three games—against l'aranaki, Auckland, and New Zealand. Casualty Factor. Taking all'tho circumstances of the tour into consideration, tho final result from tho visitors' sido is not as good as might havto been looked for, tho reason being that tho tourists havo only ono really strong team to place in the field. ; They had a good deal of bad hick in not boing ablo to call upon their best men on account of -injuries and illness. Harding,' tho aggressive skippor of tlio.' team, injured his ankle in tho first match, and has been more or less a cripple ever since, although ho has como out for his sido in nearly all tho big games. Vassall, who camo_ bearing the hajl-mark of English Rugby critics, was also injured at tho outset of tho tour. Ho has played in several matches, however, but failed to livo up to his reputation. Laxon, who is supposed to bo tlio crack scrum half of the team, was laid aside by illness about the" middlo of tho tour; Gibbs, one of tho best of: tho backs oil New Zealand form, is now out. of -action owing to a serious injury to his knee; Jackson, a bulky forward, was recalled to EnglandJackett, the crack fullback, was wounded on two occasions; and a number of others havo been laid up with minor injuries. The Britishors have cortainly reaped a full harvest of tlio disadvantages which a team on an extended' tour might expect, and it is their second strings who havo told against them.

• In the first match of tho tour, .against the Combined Wairarspa and Hush Unions, tho visitors made a showing which gave promise of something better than lins resulted. Tho Bccond matou—against Wellington—saw

thrm defeated by 19 to 13, and anothor defeat was suffered at Duncdin. A win against Southland brightened tho outlook, but in the lirst tost, which followed, Now Zealand had a runaway victory by 32 to 5. Of tho following four matches, three, against weak Unions, wero won, and tho other, against Canterbury, was'lost. Then camo tho second test match, and British stocks went up with a hound when tho visitors succeedod in drawing with Now Zealand after a fast game on a boggy ground. _ This was probably tho best effort the Britishers havo mado during tho tour, and interest, which had begun to wane, was revived. Four wins for tho tourists followed this game, but on coming up against tho stronger provinces of tho North Island tho visitors hail to go under. Important Games Lost. In tho throo final games of the tour-r Taranaki, Auckland, and tho last test—they wero beaten without adding t point to their total. In spito of the losses >at Taranaki and Auckland it was believed that tho Britishers were holding something in reserve for the iinnl gamo of tho series of tests, which would decide tho rubber; but what chance they had is indicated by tho report of tho match. Tho visitors wero thus defeated in two of tho throo tests —tho other being a draw—-and. by each of the four centres, their points being piled up against .thoweaker Unions, somo of which arc no\W given an opportunity of coining into touch with the best football in tho Dominion. Without tho matches against the weaker Unions, however, tho record of the Britishers would be sad to'contemplate. Although the visitors havo a good average, team, they havo no champions in their ranks, despito international fcnps and reputations. Of tho forwards Edgar Morgan and Williams havo proved themselves first-class men, and sovoral others follow them closely, but tho champion brand is missing. Tho backs aro also good average men, but the Wallaco and Roberts element is missing. Jackott is a great player, and ho will probably bo seen to oven better advantage on the dry Australian grounds, where his paco and kicking porrers should bo brought out 1 to tho full. . J. P. Williams and Gibbs aro also • exceptionally good men, _ but both could havo been better fed by their follow backs. " Ponty " Jones has been about tho. most useful of tho British centres, but ho is a bit too fond of tho leather. .' ' Tho 184 points (oxclusivo of tlio scratch gamo with tho Maoris') were mado up as follow : —4B trios, 3" penalty £oals, 1 goal from a mark, 1 potted goal, and 12 converted tries. J. L. Williams heads tho list of scorers with 9 tries; Chapman, who. only played in tho less important fixtures,'scored 6 tries; Gibbs and "Ponty'" Jones 5 each, M'Evedy 4; J. F. Williams 2, Ritson 2, " Ttian" Jones 2, Davoy 2, Archer 2, and Smith, G. L. Wil-> liams, Oldham, E,. Morgan,. Kyrke, Jackson, Jackott, Griffiths, and Dyko ono each. Harding kicked a penalty goal and converted two tries, Jackson kicked a goal from a mark and converted 'four tries, Jackett potted a goal, and converted ono try, Gibbs kicked two pen-; alty goals, and converted two tries, and Djko converted throo tries. . :

The scratch match at Rotor.ua against a Maori team was won by the Britishers/by 26 to 3. . -

Summary of Matches Played.

I I § . i «j » £3 S S Wairnrapa Bush ... 1 — 17 3 Wellington ... ... — 1 13 10 Otngo ... ... ... — 1 0 9 Southland 1 — 14 8 Test Match ... ... — 1 5 82 S. Canterbury ... 1 — 12 6 Canterbury — 1 8 13 West Coast and Bullor 1 — 22 3 Nolson and Marlborough 1 — 12 0 Second Tost .... ... drawn. 3 3 Hawkri's Bay 1 — 25 3 Poverty Bay ... ... 1 — 26 0 Manawatu-Horowhenua 1 — 12 3 Wangnnui 1 — 9 6 •Taranaki — 1 0 5 Auckland , — 1 0 11 Third Tost — 1 0 29 ■I Totals... ... 9 7 184 153 Taking the Maori match at Rotorua into account, tho British tally is 210 points for, 156 against.