THE ALL BLACKS

Evening Star, Issue 19839, 12 April 1928, Page 12

THE ALL BLACKS

AH EXHIBITION MATCH [Per United Pbess Association.] WELLINGTON, April 11. The All Blacks vrere seen to-day in an exhibition match, the weather and ground conditions being ideal. The attendance was estimated at over 5,000. M. Brownlie led one team, and M. Nicholls the other. Brownlie’s team won by 23 points to 21. Tries for the winners were scored by Bobilliard (four), Kilby, and Alley. M'Grcgor converted one try and kicked a penalty goal. For the losers tries wore scored by Nicholls, Rnshbrook, C. Brownlie, and Finlayson (two), Strang converting three. The crowd saw glimpses of form good enough to suggest that the side has material which should settle down with formidable combination when condition and combination have been secured, The play was not brilliant, and hard work was not greatly in evidence; but the forwards showed power, and the backs went well in flashes. The first thing which took the_ eye as the teams lined out was the physiques of the’forwards. The scrums wore'compactly formed, but Sw'ain and Burrows, the hookers for the vice-captain’s team, badly beat Hore and Hadley for possession of the ball, which came out to Halley like a flash. The vice-captain’s team gave the best exhibition of scrum work which has been seen in this coun- ■ try for a long time. The solid maimer | in which Harvey, tho 15st 101 b WairaI rapa giant, locked the scrum appeared i to have not a little to do with his hook- ! ers’ success. The fonvards w r ent quite j well for a preliminary gallop, one of 1 the best features about the play being I short hand-to-hand passing which was i indulged in. The work on the line-outs j was not as clean as it might have been, hut this was due in a large measure to the strength of the opposition. H. Lilburne, the Canterbury representative, gave a very sound display at full-back for the Whites (vice-captain’s team). He played very coolly throughout, and rather overshadowed Lindsay, who failed to find the lino several times. 'The best backs on tho day were the two five-eighths, M'Grcgor and Strang, who opposed each other. Both took their passes well when on the move, and showed initiative in beating a man before sending the leather on. M’Grcgor, in particular, showed brilliance, and was in the thick of all the attacking movements. The 1928 New Zealand team will bo well served behind the scrum. Both Halley and Kilby showed nippiness yesterday, and shot the ball out in good style to tho men behind them. Both excelled in defence, and were not afraid to pull the foot rushes up by flopping at the feet of the big forwards. Tho wingers, on account of the absence of combination, did not get many opportunities to show their paces; but Bobilliard, Grenside. Lucas, and Rushbrook all showed that they had pace and that spirit of determination which spells tries. Bobilliard has developed into a dangerous scoring man. The passing yesterday was wild at times, and bv no means followed the slogan of the 1924 All Blacks: “Secure possession, retain possession, don’t lose possession.’’