ALL BLACKS' RETURN

Evening Star, Issue 18052, 21 August 1922, Page 8

ALL BLACKS' RETURN

TEST MATCHES IN AUSTRALIA. HIGH PRAISE FOR OTAGO REPS, [Special to the ‘ Star.’] AUCKLAND, August’ 15. . Tie members of tie New Zealand Rugby | team returned to Auckland yesterday after a rough trip on tie Manuka from Sydney, but minus the “ashes,” which they left in the Urn of the Now South Wales Rugby Union. The team was met by Mr Harr}- Frost, the old Canterbury representative, now president of the Auckland Rugby Union, and several other memers of that 'body, and escorted to the loyal Hotel, where they were accorded a icarty welcome home by His Worship the layer (Mr J. H. Gunson), who is an old lugby footballer and a Rugby devotee to he backbone. The players were looking very fit after their tour, and tell of delightM experiences in New South Wales, They were, however, obviously tired after their stormy trip in the Manuka, but listened with interest and obvious appre- I ciation to the happy speech and hearty ' welcome home of His Worship the Mayor, . who, while congratulating the team on | the standard of its play, suggested, that it j was a good tiling lor New Smith Wales t and New Zealand that the All Blacks of 1922 had not won the .rubber, but left the honors with New South Wales. The State would obviously gain greatly by it in the progress of the Rugby game, which was quickly coming back to its own in Sydney (where League football appears to be on the wane). The parentheses are mine. All this and more, said the Mayor of Auckland, in his welcome to the All Blacks, who vastly appreciated his remarks, especially the references to the return visit of the New South Wales team next season, when New Zealand would turn out en masse to see the team which had defeated the All Blacks for the rubber. Mr J. Arncil, chairman of the Auckland Rugby Union, also welcomed the team on behalf of that -bodv, stating that he regretted their leaving' the ashes behind, but that it would be off inestimable good to New Zealand and Australia, where Rugby was the national games. THE MANAGER’S VIEWS. Mr S. S. Deans, manager of the team, who is an old Auckland Rugbyite and resident delegate of the A.R.U. in \Velihngton, said he went away a pessimist, out returned an optimist, with the Ail Bluer, team, concerning the future of the Rugby rranie in Australia and New Zealand. Ihe gtand&rd of play in Xew South he said, had -greatly improved, and New Zealand must always regard the teams which represent the State as formidable foemen. The visits of the Maori Rugby team and the All Black team had given the game such a kick off m Sydney as it never had before, with the result that Hi ere was a great possibility of the Rugby game being reinstated in Queensland, where it had been allowed to drop. Referring to the New Zealand team s defeat Mr Deans told your correspondent that New. South Wales had played sp endid football—never better, and thoroughly deserved their wins for the second and third test matches, the final of which was one of the hardest and most gruelling contests he had ever witnessed. In explanation ox New Zealand’s defeat, Mr Deans said we were beaten by a better side,'who pimped into its game from the outset, with a gallop and never let down until the call of time. The New South Wales forwards were splendid, and more than held then: own with the three-two-three formation in the scrum, while the backs were brilliant, going at top speed on attack. running straight, passing, and combining with rare certainty and decision g Of the New South Wales £ks Notbling (Ml-back). Raymond (wing three-quarter), and Watkm (half back) were singled out for special pian>e as brilliant players. Concerning the New Zealand players, the All Black forwards were magnificent, but they received no support from the backs on_ attack. As » truth, the display of the New Zealand backs throughout the tour was distinctly disappointing. The inside backs—fiveeighths and centre three-quarter—-were weak, lacking cohesion and any semblance of finesse on attack, with the result that the wings, Steel and Ford, or whoever it happened to be, were starved for the ball. ‘ A 7 ith two inside backs like Fea, of Otago, uid Ifwerson, of Auckland, there would save been a different tale to tell. Bell, The ex-Pirate and Otago full-back, played t splendid game as the last line of dejence throughout the tour. His fielding was faultless, his tackling deadly in its tenacity, and his long-range line-kicking superb. The try lie scored was a clever and a unique effort for a full-back, running from his position to give a beautiful dummy at the finish to score a brilliant try. Steel got few chances, but the few he did get he made the best possible use of. A purely attacking player, the ball must be sent out to him, and his. neglect was due to the failures of the inside backs to cut in and make the openings for the wiires. With Fea or Ifwerson inside, Steel ■would have been seen at his best. V. Badeley, of Auckland, who got into the teanl as a utility player and for his placekicking, was clean off his game, both as j, player and a place-kicker. , Great disappointment is felt in Auckland over Badeley’s failure, as he had been performing well in club football prior to the All Blacks’ departure. Ford, on the wing, was colorless, and Fitzgerald was not a success as centre when he played in that position. Dickinson, the young Otago High School boy , played brilliantly at times, but was inclined to go too far on his own, and neglected to pass out to his wings.. He is, however, highly thought of in Australia, and will be ona of New Zealand’s foremost backs in a year or two, if he is not now. Mark Nicholls was not brilliant at five-eighths, but he played a solid game. His placekicking was a feature, and he was the most successful in the long-lost art. H. Nicholls and Matheson shared the honors behind the All Blacks’ scrum, but, putting the ball into the scrum and failmo- to get round behind to receive it from the All Black hookers, they were frequently penalised for off-side, play ! This was an incident that frequently puzzled the All Blacks, who were penalised on almost every occasion when the ball flashed out from the scrum before the half-back, after putting the ball in, had time to get round behind the pack to secure it. The New Zealand forwards were splendid, particularly the young son of Anak, Jock Richardson, who on all sides—New South Wales and New Zealand —was acclaimed the most brilliant forward ever seen in Australia, Seeling not excepted! This is praise indeed, and comes from the All Blacks from Mike Beilis, the skipper, right through to the diminutive Svenson, who was struck down by measles on arrival, and only got up a day before the team’s departure. In this regard Svenaon was singularly unfortunate. I saw Jock Richardson, and spoke to him about his play, which he assured me modestly was not all that it was cracked up to be. But ask Jimmy Henderson/who will be well remembered by Otago Rugby enthusiasts of a decade ago as manager of a New South Wales team which created a sensation in Dunedin. J.H., who is a good judge and knows his Rugby, states that no better forward than Richardson has ever been •ent to Australia. For the rest, Beilis played a great game as rover or wing forward; but the Sydney referees are “out” to kill the wing forward, and Belli* suffered the penalty. The All Blacks, according to the captain and manager, discovered a good “lock” forward In Williams, of Otago, and a splendid line-out player in Peterson, of Canterbury, who was one of the best in the too. Whyte, too, played well, puppies •ul Brownlie, of wham much had been tnwoted, played well up to a certain •obit, but at critical moments, lacking threw chances away. All nweearo of the team are fit and well, M in of the opinion that the tour was e*4uly naked-three gruelling test matches two metropolitan contests being ■leyed in the course of a few days. There (not the slightest doubt that those roiov m ipingaaeafa pf the teat

matches bungled badly, and some serious questions should bo asked of the Now Zealand Rugby Union. It is seriously suggested by the manager of the AH Blacks,team that in,'order to avoid further trouble, and m. view of the New South Wales, visit next year that a conference of New Zealand and New South Wales referees should be hold to secure a uniformity in ruling. Captain Beilis states that the disposal of tlho wing forward will probably necessitate the adoption by New Zealand of the 3-2-5 scrum formation like New South Wales.

It has been suggested that the referee should put the ball in the scrum; but if this is carried to its logical conclusion there is no reason why the line umpires should not throw the ball out from the line-out!