The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY MONDAY, APRIL 16, 1928. DOMINION’S PROUD PLACE IN REALM OF SPORT.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10562, 16 April 1928, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY MONDAY, APRIL 16, 1928. DOMINION’S PROUD PLACE IN REALM OF SPORT.

The present year promises to he outstanding in the history of this Dominion’s association with the realm of sport. In the case of Tom Heeney, New Zealand has, overseas, the contender for the world’s heavyweight boxing crown. Such high fame in that particular branch of sport has, by the way, not been achieved by any Britisher since the days of Fitzsimmons, who, though horn in England, spent his early manhood in the South Island. Discouraged, as he was, when he first visited Britain, ,Heeney has now becoi'ne- a national figure and it is certain that,. ■ wheii he' meets Tunney for .the championship, he will carry into the ring .with him ,tlie best wishes of Britishers, in all lands. Although, as' yet," not. far from oiir own. shores, speed tlio 1928 .» “All Blacks” to South, Africa in an .effort to gain wliat will really amount to supremacy in the rugby world. As is well-known, the “All Blacks” and Springboks are, to-day; at • tho top of- the rugby ladder, and teams fully representative of these two Dominions have met > in only one series of test matches', honors- ending even. Such being the position, all eyes will be turned towards Africa when the most important contests of the “All BlacltsV” tour , come round. It lias been : suggested that “All Black” teams that have proceeded overseas Bay© been, over-imbued with the will to win. Indeed, ou behalf of- the' ‘ ‘Waratahs’ ’ ivho recently 1 via-' ited-’ Britain, it is oljaimed, in some quarters, that they proved more popular; than -the " “All . Black’ Vsides, because they’ did ’not V win all - their rhatches, the inference being, of course, that: they -. took things- easy -in some contests,' .lf,-however, - Vile,

the famous ex-captain of Wales he correct, the ‘•Waratahs” - could, not possibly have won any of the matches which 1 they lost. : ‘ ‘They became very tired towards the end of the tour,” lie says, “and, having had ft' surfeit of play, the result was that they were less effective in, the later matches, the whole; team being affected.” As far as the “All Blacks” are concerned, they will, unquestionably, be expected to do their.very best in every match in South Africa and. if they shoulil be defeated, all credit will be given to their conquerors; New Zealand will, too, bo represented ajbroad at' this year’s Olympic Games, -which are to be held at Amsterdam, by the strongest team of athletes that ' it has ever sent abroad.. Pitted as its -members will- be against the best of all other unusual interest will centre upon their efforts. Whilst Poverty Bay is not represented in the “All Blacks” rugby side, it will have abroad, in addition to Heeney, who is to fight for.the world’s heavyweight boxing title, Miss Wilson, w r ho goes with the NIZ.-. Olympic team as this Dominion’s champion lady sprinter, and of whom also great things are expected,