THE ALL BLACKS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 36, 12 February 1925, Page 4

THE ALL BLACKS

A HIGH STANDARD OF PLAY

NICHOLLS AND COOKE THE STAB BACKS.

(** tILKORAPH.— SPECIAL TO THB POST.)

AUCKLAND, This Day. A passenger by the Maheno on Tuesday night was Mr. P. J. Ohlsou, headmaster of the Maungawhau School, who has just concluded a tour of America and Britain, and for part of the timo was a member of the All Blacks' official party. Amongst other experiences with the All Blacks Mr. Ohlson acquired ;t new knowledge of languages. Talking about' the All Blacks, he remarked that probably " their hardest game was at Clanethy. Even when our fellows had beaten Wales, we were told that Clauethy considered they had a 'chance of beating lie. But we certainly found that these fellows from the coal mines played a terribly hard game."" With ■the clue given in a remark about^Wales, a pressman was able to eventually puzzle out that Mr. Ohlsori was talking Welsh, and referred to the match' tho All Blacks played against " Llanelly." Speaking generally about the AH Blacks, Mr. Ohlson said he saw them play eighteen .of their matches, and they had a wonderful reception from the public and players. Criticism of their play as being unduly rough and brutal came from only a very smalPsection of the Press, and one of the English referees who had refereed in six. of the games protested against such criticism. In a speech this referee stated {hat in tho six games he had taken part in he saw nothing to justify 1 that sort of criticism, and no sign of wilful foul or rough play. He referred the critics to tho captains of the' English, Welsh, and Irish, international teams; stating that he was satisfied from their comments on the games that they were of the same opinion as himself.

As to the standard of play, Mr. Ohlson said the team sustained a, remarkably high ' standard. "Our forwards probaoly did not do so well as we had expected, but while they are very much superior to the Englishmen in the open and in -handling the ball, the t English forwards can ■ beat our ; fellows at footwork when they get the ball among i ■ ?i m,"., We certainly did not get the balUike the 1905 team did,, but it has to be remembered that British teams have had a -great deal of experience during war time of New Zealand play, and have learned a great deal about getting the ball they did not know in 1905. Then, again, in 1905 the' All Blacks found their weaknesses in their Australian games, and before going to Britain they added Cunningham to t'*3 team and he proved a super lock in the acrum. With the: present team the full complement was -selected before the Australian tour^ and when some of the players in that tour failed to come up to what was expected of them, there was no opportunity to remedy the weaknesses. The full complement had been picked, and no more, could be added, while those selected could not then be turned down: It -was, however, in the backs that the All Blacks made their greatest showing. The English standard of back play is much inferior to ours. They have not the same straight, strong running, and nippy passing, and they... have not the same instinct for backing up. Even in Wales the backs do not run'straight, as we do here. Nicholls and Cooke were the star backs! and I think that in value to the side they were a greater pair than even Mynott-and. Hunter were;: though,- 'of course, of a different style. ' Lucas also played some very fine finished frames, notably that against the Combined Services,- as did Syenson, while Steel was a greatly improved man and a wonderful scorer towards the end of the toiir. Parker played a great game throughout. Porter did not strike his. best form at first, and he was injured, but towards the close of the tour he showed i! ls best form, especially in the Combined Services match He took a thoroughly keen and intelUgePt' interest in his team right through ihe. tour, and did everything that was possible lor them.

NEPIA'S WONDERFUL FEAT.' " The most wonderful feat.of defence by attack I ever saw was brought off by George Nepia in the- Wales match, 'lhree Welshmen had broken through, and were coming down our lines with, only Nepia to stop them. 1 It looked a moral try, but Nepia suddenly made: a great leaping rush and dive for the ball, throwing himself . right into the three Welshmen, who were bunched .and swept them all off their feet. He go* the ball and cleared, and one of the Welshmen, the captain, went off the field 'injured ' I happen to know that both Mark Nicholls and Cooke wese just as badly hurt at .that time, but they stayed with the game to the-end. That is one of the differences between British and New Zealand players. As a matter of fact, Nicholls was not able to play again-till the match against Encland, five weeks later. ' .

"They had a good many injuries at various times, and with'Nicholls, M'Gregor,- and Cooke showing great form, the selectors were afraid to chance this combination much; I felt they were playing good men rather often! but could see they were in difficulty nbout keeping their combination. I should have liked to have seen' Lucas get another game in the internationals. Stewart would have been one of the stars, but he got ill, and Harvey waskejit out a lot by illness. In fact, I think the teamdid wonderfully well to keep from going: stale, but they watched their training very closely." .: '.;