ALL BLACKS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 15 September 1924, Page 5

ALL BLACKS

WIN AGAINST DEVON.

ELEVEN POINTS TO NIL,

COMMENT ON VISITORS’ PLAY.

BY' C ABLE- PREBS ASSOCIATION—COP fftldat

LONDON, Sept. 13. The All Black team opened their tour to-dav with a match against Devon on the rectory, ground at Devonport. The Now Zealanders had a tremendous reception from the crowd numbering 16r,000, which' packed the ground to its utmost capacity. The turf was in an excellent state and all the conditions were favourable to a first-class game. Devon won. the toss. The All Blacks immediately opened up an attack, but the form displayed on both .sides .was very ragged. This was to some extent the result of over-keenness by the players, Which led them into mistakes.

The Devon men made a surprisingly fine stand and to the general surprise held their adversaries "in the Scrummages. They really made tremendous efforts against such redoubtable opponents, but in actual truth there was little finesse or method on either side. Half an Hour of hard, rough play passed before the first score canie, during which the All Blacks were mostly in the county men’s quarters. Some fine passing then put Svenson over, but it was close to the corner and Nepia failed with the kick at goal. ' All Blacks 3 Devon 0 Shortly after Hanley almost potted a goal for Devon. The inside New Zealand backs then got to ivork and a bout of good passing from . a serum eventually gave Cooke an opening, and he went over. This time Nepia succeeded with the kick. ■ All Blacks ............8 Devon ; 0 This reverse did not discourage the home side, but it seemed ,to harden them up, and the All Blacks were forced down twice in succession. The first spell then ended with the score unchanged. The New Zealanders had underestimated the strength ;of the forward opposition, - and after the interval' they showed increasing cohesion and more clever play. Svenson, following up his own kick, passed inward to Bro>yn, and the Taranaki representative dashed across the line. Nepia did not convert. There was no further score, and* the match .ended: . All Blacks ............,, ii Devon .1 0 The forwards more or less took charge of the game and continual scrummages and loose scrambles seemed to induce rough play on both sides. The passing of the New Zealanders was not ■up to their* usual standard,. although they were generally successful in gaining possession, of the ball from the scrummages. Frequent knocks on spoiled their movements and prevented them bringing their passing bouts to a successful conclusion. The Devon players had tlieir. turn now and then and tw’ice came nearscoring, but, the defence held good and sure collaring stopped their bursts. Frequent use of the side line by the Devon backs appreciably slowed -the game and prevented the visitors giving a spectacular exhibition. , The general concensus of opinion isthat ■ the New Zealand team has been considerably over-rated. Cooke and Svenson to-day were the best of the backs and Richardson and M. Brownlie were the best forwards. The New Zealanders had .< the advantage in weight, but their play was not convincing. '

Colonials present were surprised at the fine showing made by Devon, but. they regarded the form of the All Blacks as hardly an index of the future.

NOT SO STRONG AS PREVIOUS

TEAM

DISAPPROVAL OF WING FORWARD.

NEW ZEALANDERS IN THE SCRUMS.

Received Sept. 15, 9.5 a.m. LONDON, Sept. 14. The Sunday News says: “The New Zealanders on a hard ground) will be difficult to beat, but it will be surpris- . ing if they even approach the record of their predecessors.” ’ The News of the World 1 gives a similar verdict, and- expresses the opinion that Dailey and Cooke are likely to distinguish themselves. It states that Porter’s mission as extra half, wing forward or rover does not appeal to English footballers, for most of the. time he is purely 'an' obstructionist, but the style is not wanted i here. The Observer states: “The New Zealanders on this showing are not as powerful as the previous team. Their forwards are not a whit in advance of Devon, hut they have a decided, pull outside.” • The Sunday Expi’ess states: “Some of the New Zealanders’ ways in the scrums displeased the spectators, the crowd at one time demanding that two should be sent off. The team is amazingly fast.”—Ans.-N.Z. Cable Assn. IN TOP-HOLE FORM. ASTONISHING THE NATIVES. LONDON, Sept. 3. The All Blacks are likely to provide as remarkable a tour as did tlieir predecessors in 1905. Nobody watching them training at Newton Abbot this morning would have thought that, they had been five weeks on board ship; They are absolutely fit. They finished a. mile run without turning a hair, sprinted on bare feet, walked barefoted to the. hotel, half a mile away. After breakfast they practised -lineouts, goal-kicking, and engaging in passing bouts at. full speed. Several showed themselves as wonderful goalshooters, putting the ball over the bar from the touchline at half-way. The features of the line-outs were the quick breakaways, with the ball on the toes, varying these movements with short passing movements among the forwards. As there was no opposition their effectiveness could not be estimated, but their speed is remarkable. Steele’s arm has been X-rayed, and there is no fracture. He will probably participate in the opening match against Devon, on September 13. His colleagues are gratified at the slightness of the injury, as it will enable their best wing-three-quarten- and great sprinter to take his place in the first match. A formidable social and sightseeing programme has been arranged