FOOTBALL

Evening Star, Issue 17032, 1 May 1919, Page 3

FOOTBALL

« "ALL BLACKS" PAST AND PRESENT. A COMPARISON. ' (By Lieut. E. Booth, 1905-06 Team, in the I London 'Daily Mail.') ! Comparisons have been made between ' the original "All Blacks" of 1905-06 and the New Zealand military team at present playing in England. Several of these criticisms are rather unfair to the latter team, and I think, \n ! fairness to them, 1 should point out one or two things which will help the public ( to form a true estimate of the military J team. ' Possibly the greatest difference between ] the two is that the original "All Blacks " arrived here a complete team, while the ! present side is as yet in the making. The , original team wa« selected from thousands of very fit players after a series of trials ] extending over the two seasons of 1904-05, including inter-island as well as inter-pro- \ vincial games. After the team was selected * it played against provinces throughout - New Zealand and in three big " tests "in J Sydney. Thus we arrived here a " tried * out" combination of old heads on young ' legs, the pick of New Zealand football, 1 and we travelled here in all comfort. J The present military team, commonly , known among the New Zealand rank and file as "The Diggers," on the other hand ) came over in transports, and some have been gassed and have undergone the rough } experiences of war. Before the end of the inter-army tour- 6 . ney, which I think they can win (they did, f Sporting Editor E.S.), it is possible the ' team will have a better front rank than ; , we had in 1905-06. There are more reserves available, the men are much '" younger and heavier, but at present they l seem lacking in tactics. They are in Jreality a team of colts of great possibili- *■ ties, which, under the leadership of such men as Stead, Wallace, and Gallagher would soon develop. Tho average man in the street expects the present team to give pyrotechnic displays and cricket score wins tho same as we did, but ha does not take into consideration the great improvement English Rugby has made since then. English back play has improved immensely, teams ' are no longer sleepy, and paralysing them w'th Indian signs and Maori hakas cannot be done to-day. The old football dictum that a team can only play as well as the other team lets it still holcls good, and to-day the opposition is stronger than in 1905-06, especially in general knowledge of varieties of play. The present New Zealand team's only weakness in attack is in the centre, and this is being remedied. Personally, lam proud of tho side, and I do not doubt that they will worthily uphold the best traditions of New Zealand football.