ALL BLACKS’ TOUR

Dunstan Times, 30 July 1934, Page 6

ALL BLACKS’ TOUR

VISIT TO AUSTRALIA A GOOD SIDE CHOSEN Australia is eagerly, awaiting the visit of the sixteenth New Zealand Rugby team to tour the Commonwealth, and, if there is actually the improvement in Australian" football which is reported, some great games should be witnessed. The members of the. New Zealand team will leave by the Maungamii from Wellington on Thursday, July 26, and play their first game on Wednesday, August I. The manager of the team is Mr A. J. Geddes, of Invercargill, and the players making the trip are as follows : Full-back, A. Collins (Taranaki). Three-quarters—G. A. Bnllock-Dong-las (Wanganui), G. F. Hart (Canterbuhy), E. Holder (Duller), T. FI. C. Caughey (Auckland), and H. Smith (Otago). Five-eighths—J. 11. Page (Wellington), H. T. Lilburne (Wellington), J. L. Griffiths (Wellington), and C. J. Oliver (Canterbury). Half-backs, M. Corner (Auckland) and F. I). Kilby (Wellington). Forwards—W. Hadley (Auckland), A. Lambourne (Wellington), J. Hore (Otago), R. M. M'Kenzie (Manawatu), A. Knight (Auckland), I). S. Max (Nelson), H. F. M'Lean (Auckland), J. E. Manchester and A. H. Andrews (Canterbury), A. Mahoney (Bush), R. King (West Coast), J. Leesou (Waikato), and H. Mataira (Hawke’s Bay). . . In view of tiie tour to Great Britain next year, the performances of the 1934 side in Australia will be followed with more than ordinary interest. A survey of the players selected shows that there is a strong combination of youth and experience. The forwards are big and fast, and should give a good account of themselves, while the backs are speedy and enterprising. The trial matches in both islands were notable for the fine physique of the forwards, all of whom were splendid specimens of young New Zealand. The back play in the trials was no doubt a little disappointing to many, but this is generally the case with men playing together for the first time. No doubt, however, the players chosen are of such a calibre that they will readily mould themselves into a very effective combination. All round the team appears to be equally as good, and better in some respects, than the 1932 side that lost onlv one match in Australia. Though most of the backs were members of the 1932 team, they are still young players, and probably have unproved since their last tour. In addition to those who went to Australia in 1932, there are Hart and Oliver, both of whom have represented New Zealand previously, and Smith and Griffiths both of whom have shown fine form’ in their club and provincial games. Griffiths has been playing brilliant football as a five-eighth in Wellington this year, and the Otago man Smith is fast and sound in every department, and as a Christchurch writer says, an eminently reliable player well worthy of international honours. The job of the selectors in choosing the forwards must have been much more difficult than picking the backs, for there were so many good forwards offering, and, though two or thiee plavers are extremely unlucky in being passed over, notably several Southland representatives, the pack is a strong one, with plenty of dash and weight. Seven of the forwards selected have previously worn an All Black jersey, these being Hadley, AFLean, Knight, Max, Hore, Manchester, and Mahoney, while those receiving the honour for the first time are Lambourne, M Kenzie, Andrews, Leeson, King, and Mataira. „ , T , There are sixteen North Island players and nine South Island players in the team. . The representation of the various unions in the team is as follows: Auckland 5, Wellington 5, Canterbury 4, Otago 2, Wanganui 1, Manawatu 1, Taranaki 1, Hawke’s Bay 1, Bush 1, Waikato I, Duller 1, Nelson 1, and West Coast 1. . . Eight matches will be piayed by the 1934” team compared with ten played by the 1932 team. . Following are the ages, weights, and heights of the 1934 All Blacks: - BACKS. Age Weight Height Years. st. lb. ft. in A. Collins 25 U 7 5 7 (1. A LSullock-Douglas 23 11 3 J •’ G. F. Hart 85 11 » BO E. Holder 24 13 3 o 1U T. H C. Caughey ... 22 12 10 6 0 H. Smitl 22 11 10 5 3 J- R- Page 20 11 3 o 7 H. Lilburne* 1* 4 J J I. L. Griffiths 22 10 10 o 7 C. J. Oliver 28 12 2 010 M. Corner 25 012 •> af F. 1). Kilby 20 HO o 6 FORWARDS. Age Weight Height Years. st. lb. ft. in W. Hadley 22 13 0 510 A. Lambourne 23 13 0 011 J. More 27 13 7 5 9 R. M. M'Kenzie 21 15 0 6 0 A. Knight 28 15 8 0 If D. S. Max 28 16 0 6 2J 11. F. M'Lean 26 14 0 6 2 |. E. Manchester 25 14 2 G 11 A. H. Andrews 22 11 0 6 0 A, Mahoney 25 11 7 6 2 R. King 23 11 2-f GO 1 Leeson 21 13 0 5 81 11. Mataira* 22 15 0 511 *Jn the case of Lilburne and Mataira the figures arc only approximate. There is reason to believe that the opposition to be encountered by the New Zealand team on this occasion will be stronger than for many years The tour of South Africa by the Wallabies last season has 'provided them with many men with experience in big football—an experience that has resulted in a much-improved standard of play in Now South Wales and Queensland this year. As an Australian writer says: “There is more talent in Sydney to-day lhan in any year since the war. and experts say that New Zealand will have to produce a team of the pre-war standard if it is to Luke the Ashes. The New South Wales Union has decided that matches should he played at the Sydney Cricket Ground Sydney’s greatest oval—and that fact alone should ensure the success of the tour. Sydney crowds like watching football at the Cricket Ground.” The itinerary is as follows: August I—v. Western Districts, at Orange. August I—v.1 —v. New South Wales, at Sydney. August 6—v. New South Wales, at Sydney. j August ll—v. Australia (first test),

at Sydney. August lo—v. Queensland, at Brisbane. August 18—v. Australian team, at Brisbane. August 22 —v. Newcastle, at Newcastle. August 25—v. Australia (second tost), at Sydney. The record of the 1932 New Zealand team in Australia was: — v. New South Wales, won, 13 to 11. v. Newcastle, won, 44 to G. v. Australia, lost, 17 to 22. v. New South Wales, won, 27 to 3. v. Queensland, won, 28 to 8. v. Brisbane-Ipswich, won, 44 to 12. v. Australia, won, 21 to 3. v. Darling Downs, won, 30 to 6. v. Australia, won, 21 to 13. r. Western Districts, won, 63 to 15.