HADLEY'S RETURN

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 97, 21 October 1935, Page 14

HADLEY'S RETURN

BETTER SUPPLY W BALL

BACKS UNIMPRESSIVE

LONDON, October 20. The special correspondent of the United Press Association says that many prominent people, including wellknown Army officers and hundreds of Hugby enthusiasts, also New Zealanders who travelled from London, gathered at the Aldershot Command central ground, which was firm and dry with a billiard-table surface. Services had a strong side, which included Tarr, who hooked with great success against the All Blacks at Swansea and who played in the same position, replacing Beamish, who was injured. Other members of the team had also previously played against the New Zealanders. The weather was fine and sunny with a strong wind Oliver and Caughey have not completely recovered. Hadley was reported to be in good condition, though probably it would have been wiser to wait another week before playing him. The All Blacks are perturbed at their recent narrow escapes and anxious to build up combination in view of the approaching international match. Tindill played first and Caughey second five-eighths. The changes in the forwards were due to McLean's withdrawal. Vorrath and King played in the middle of the second row with Mahoney back man. UNINTERESTING PLAY. The opening stages of the match were dull and most uninteresting, with frequent hold-ups and a series of scrums. The wind was upsetting passes and kicks. Leyland was early prominent, with a brilliant run through the defence, in which he almost beat Gilbert, but was tackled in the nick of time. The All Black forwards were doing good work, and were always dangerous in loose rushes with close passing, Pepper and Hadley being in tho forefront, but there were few combined movements by the tourists' backs, the wingers seldom receiving clean passes. Unwin made a" fine individual run. Receiving from the ruck he beat three All Blacks before he was pulled down. As on other occasions he did not pass at the right moment. AN EXTRAORDINARY RUN. Mitchell's try came as the result of an extraordinary run, his opponents not laying a hand on him. Oliver, who did not show signs of his injury, made penetrating runs, but there was a sad weakness in the All Blacks' defence, Walker and Leyland on several occasions going through to Gilbert, \vsho was called on to save the side. The All Blacks should have had a bigger lead in the first half, considering the advantage of the wind. Tindill was prominent for fine judgment with line-kicks. The wind was still blowing strongly downfield on the resumption after half-time, and the sun was also against the New Zealanders \vho, nevertheless, during the first quarter of an hour, won practically every scrum, the ball coming out quickly and cleanly. Hadley was apparently making a big difference. King knocked his face and his nose was bleeding profusely, the game being delayed while first aid was rendered. FAULTY HANDLING. The strong wind helped to spoil the game as a spectacle, yet that was not altogether the reason for the poor handling on both sides. Services tried wheeling the scrum and succeeded in several times gaining ground. The Services' backs repeatedly broke through, but were over-anxious and were pulled up through forward passes. They also took every advantage of the wind, gaining territory with raking line-kicks. With a quarter of an hour left to play the tourists unwound a real New Zealand movement. Oliver and Mitchell made a great opening, Mitchell beating four men with a swerving run. The forwards lined out in the centre of j the field and joined in, but the ball went astray. It was one of the really good pieces of football of the match by the visitors, for which they were generously applauded by the crowd of 8000.

Once again the All Blacks faced defeat. Following Unwin's groat try, Services' forwards attacked fiercely.

One rush swept the' visitors 30 yards dovvnfield, but they managed to stave oft" the attacks. The game must go down as another lucky one for the All Blacks, who seldom looked formidable. The best attacking movements were individual efforts. Much better things were expected of the backs, who did not impress the spectators, while the lack of combination In the fcrwards surprised the small army of London newspaper critics, although the previous fault of slow packing was somewhat remedied in the second half. QUICK BREAKING-UP. The team owes a lot to Hadley getting so much of the ball in the second spell, but spectacularly the game was one of the poorest of the series. Play generally was ragged and loose with a frequent absence of thrust in the combined back movements, while one weakness in the.forwards was that the All Black pack were over-quick in breaking after winning the ball, allowing the opposition to pour through and overwhelm Corner. The same failing was noticeable in previous games, due to the forwards endeavouring to fan out in readiness to attack. Oliver did his utmost to keep the backs on the job, but often men were out of position, which was inexcusable. Gilbert was generally sound and brought off some great line kicks. He! was called on for much defensive work. Tindill was unconvincing and Caughey only a shadow of his former self, although his tackling was sounder. Pepper, King, and Hadley were the best forwards. Kendrew, Webb, and Watkins were outstanding in. the Com-j bined Services pack. Services missed | many chances through wild passing.