MUCH SPECULATION ON COMING MATCHES.

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 23, 27 July 1920, Page 8

MUCH SPECULATION ON COMING MATCHES.

' (r.tOH OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) " SYDNEY, 21st July.. The Manukay witli-the ;New Zealand* .Rugby Union football team' aboirrdi was ]ats in getting into Sydney, and.the.re-, caption of the,team/ which 1 was to.have taken place in the Hotel Australia at iieon, had to be postponed until next day. TLie officials of the New South Wale 3 Ivugby Union appear to be delighted to ■welcome ■ the "All Blacks," and -are eager.to see: that,"they.>have''a pleasant trip. .. -„ „ . . , ..,,..,'.

Incidentally, it is hoped that the matches to be played against" the redoubtable New Zealanders. will do-much, to reawaken interest in the Union game. The Northern Union has had the field almost to itself for some time ) ■ .so far as spectacular games are concerned, and its adherents seem to steadily'increaseand -multiply •••■■The-■•■■really ■••■enormous crowds—seldom.-.less • than. 60,000^-,who witnessed.,";the.' recent League games against England,have filled the League supporters with complacent, chuckles. ■ The sporting writers irithe newspapers;, look for an, open,. interesting, game/on •Saturday, with the' chances in favour of New South Wales. They regard the New Zealand team as practically;.;;an Army team, and they point out that in England after. the armistice the A.I.F. team defeated .the .great New Zealand. ■Army Service combination. They say that on that occasion the New Zealand ■hacks" were-far superior; but that'the New South Wales backs for Saturday's TOatch are a much better lot than the A.I.F. backs. The weather, though mild, continues very damp and showery; and the scribes say gloomily that these conditions will suit the New Zeakndera. Meanwhile, interest in tho' c6ming matches is being'stimulated-by a recital of the wonderful performances of other "All Black" teams. . .