CONFLICTING REPORTS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 63, 17 March 1925, Page 6

CONFLICTING REPORTS

FORM IN THE : OLD COUNTRY.

In giving his impressions of the tour, the vice-captain, J. Kichardson, said that.the Home countries had' not modernised their style of play. The idea was, i to put the matter briefly, that the forwards should get the ball in the'scrum and leave the backs to carry on with it. There was no variety in their pjay. No doubt the visit of the All Blacks would do a great, deal of good. He considered that-the-New Zealand formation was better than that of the teams which they had met, particularly for the purpose; of getting possession of the ball. ' Of the scrummaging, the vice-captain stated that the screwing that was noticed at Home enabled one side to get an advantage. For that reason, New Zealand never ■ played the loose'head. This enabled the AH Blacks to get an even pack, and prevented the opponents from screwing, whilst it also steadied matters' considerably. -■ . - "For our first ten matches it was very hard going," said the vice-captain. "Our boys were not playing up to the form they had shown in New Zealand. On that account we could not take any risks with the team. It was difficult to obtain an idea _pf- the-^sides - opposed to us. Last year's form proved to be very conflicting.;.'. Leicester, were' runners-up, but we beat them very easily. 'Then Cumberland were the champions, and in meeting them with a team that was not chosen until an hour before .the match, through players beimr unfitted for play, we beat them by 41 points to nil. In that match ;Porter;was unwell when'he' went on the field. Further evidence of the form being puzzling was furnished by Cambridge, who beat Leicester by 37 points to nil. and came out and ran us to five points. Never at any time could we I'accurately gauge their football. The reports that we received'indicated that we wer». up .aeainst. strong teams. ..and we.Jiad. kr pick our ; team aornrdinarlv:'' . . ' '

Of the toam itself. Pichardson remarked: "They are the driest crowd of boys T have ever played- with. The harmony of the team all the way through was of.the best."

The vice-captain was auite. taken back with the warmth and enthusiasm of thp welcome home to-day. "It is maanificent," he said, "and it. surpassed anything we have experienced throughout the whole tour."