ALL BLACKS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 13 October 1924, Page 5

ALL BLACKS

A COMEDY OF ERRORS. “POISONING” INCIDENT. BY CABLE—F3B3S ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. (Received Oct. 13, 10 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 12. The Sunday News describes the All Blacks’ indisposition as a “comedy el’ errors,-’ ’ and says the facts as related by Porter arc that several players felt the need of a tonic in order to fit themselves for the match with Cheshire. Some harmless powders were ordered, but the wrong ones were sent by mistake. These were not poisonous, but the ■ effects were not altogether pleasant. DEFEAT CHESHIRE. EIGHTEEN POINTS TO FIVE. HART’S GREAT FORM. LONDON, Oct. 11. At Birkenhead, the All Blacks defeated Cheshire by 18 points to 5, in the .presence of 12,000 spectators. It was reported that the fifteen visiting team were suffering from ptomaine poisoning last night, but the trouble was not serious enough to require medical attention, though some changes were necessary in the team, which was: Full-back—Nepia. Three-quarters—Hart, Brown, Steele. Five-eighths—McGregor. Paewai. Half—Mill. I? of wards—Porter, C. Brwnlie, McCleary, Masters, Richardson, Stewart, West, Irvine. The New Zealanders opened with an attack, which was pushed through till Gracie saved on the Cheshire line. The county backs then initiated some fine passing bouts, Hobday running well in and transferring to Richardson, who almost dropped a goal. Good, hard nicking play by the Cheshire forwards carried pla'y to the New Zealand line, where tlie game became very close, and of a scrambling character, both sides obtaining; about the same amount of the ball from the scrum. Both McGregor and Paewai, playing five-eighths, were knocking on repeatedly. while the county men were playing a,hard, spoiling* game. Gracie intercepted several weak New Zealand passes. . For thirty minutes play continued of a nondescript .character on both sides. Then Mill initiated a passing rush, the ball going to Hart,, who hurdled ever the opposing full-back’s head and registered the first try. Nenia’s kick at goal failed, and the spell ended without further score. The New Zealanders began the second half with mote certainty, and within three minutes two tries were added (scorers’ names omitted). .Porter then crossed at the corner. Nepia was unsuccessful with the kick on each occasion. Steel was the next to score a try, which also was not converted. The Cheshire forwards again livened up and made a rush on the New Zealand line, but their attempt lacked finality till Locke got through the defence owing to weak tackling (at .least six New Zealanders should have tackled him) and got over. Richardson added the major points. On resuming, the New Zealanders indulged in some fine passing, from which Hart secured the hall, and after a. brilliant run scored in the corner. Steele’s kick at goal failed. The superiority of the New Zealanders was most pronounced in the back division, but the game generally was the poorest exhibition the All Blacks have yet given. The Cheshire loose, single-handed passing offered innumerable opportunities to intercept. . The New Zealand backs were continually using line-kicking, even when they had a big lead. Hart alone deserves special mention for his determined .running and wonderful pace. It appears from later information that the team’s indisposition, which at first was alarmingly reported as ptomaime poisoning, proved nothing more serious than passing indisposition. The New Zealanders arrived at Liverpool apparently all well. The attack was first felt by several men on Friday morning, and a few more became unwell in the afternoon. Mr Dean (the manager) treated them with physic the victims regarding medical aid as entirely unnecessary, in proof of which" several who complained actually played in the afternoon. The cause of the indisposition has not been located, but fish is suspected. Porter, interviewed, said the New Zealand team showed signs of gastric trouble on Thursday, and on Friday morning some cases were more serious:, than others. The captain was of oninic.u that the cause of this mild outbreak was fish chi- frozen meat, but it is impossible to say at what time the infected food was eaten. The indisposition was probably caused by meat or fish. Another report says it was due to a blunder of a chemist in Liverpool, where “some of the team drank a tonic. The officials are reluctant to supply information, and will not disclose the names of the men affected.

COMMENT ON THE MATCH. (By Spectator). It is difficult still to gain any accurate impression of the All Blacks’ form from some of the cabled reports. These, speaking generally, are most inadequate from a 'football point of view, and fail to give any connected nnm-ension of the play. ' They alre very disappointing to the thousands of readers throughout 'the Dominion, who could follow a good report and appreciate the vah:/ of such a report. If the play was the poorest exhibition given by the New' Zealanders, it seems ridiculous to say that “the superiority of th? team was most pronounced in the back division,’’ and the Cheshire team must have been weak indeed. Yet their forwards would appear to be ready as good as the All Blacks. It would he interesting to know the personnel of the opposing team far the fact-that Grade, presumably the interntional, was playing and showing good form would indicate* that : t may have been a fairly strong team. So far as one can judge from the report. our men did not get into thenstride until the second spell, the fivedehths. McGregor and P’aewai. apparently pot combining well, and bv their faulty play not giving the three-quar-ters much opportunity. The second ■ ; nell appeared to give some indications of better form, and the three-onartors got openings which thev evidently used to some purpose. Hart reproduced

some of the brilliant dash which in the trial matches won him his place, bat which in his first appearances in England he seemed to have lost. The goalkicking proved a total failure if the scores were as cabled, showing that not one out of six tries were converted. It does not read too well. There is, however. some consolation in reading the reports ol the 190/5 tour that in the match against England five tries were scored and none were converted, and against Richmond only one was converted out of five tries, showing that even '‘the great Wallace sometimes nodded.” while in the Cheshire match the score was 34 to nil, ten tries—two converted. The satisfaction one must feel is that the boys had a substantial win in spite of “wanting a tonic” and “being off colour.” If reports* of the standard of Rugby are correct in reference to the northern counties and in Ireland, whic.h they will meet during the next three weeks, they will need their best team, and to he in the fittest condition. Probably, as is so often the case with good teams, the stronger the opposition the better will thev nlay.

RESULTS TO DATE. Won by F. A. July 5—N.S.W., 1st test N.S.W. 16 20 July 9—Metropolitan .. . N.Z. 37 5 July 12—N.S.W., 2nd test N.Z. 21 5 July 16—N.S.W., 3rd test N.Z. 38 8 Sept. 13—Devon N.Z. 11 0 Sept. 17—Cornwall N.Z. 29 0 Sept. 20 —Somerset N.Z. 6 0 Sept. 2o —Gloucester N.Z. 6 0 Sept. 27 —Swansea N.Z. 39 3 Oet. 2—Newport N.Z. 13 10 Oct. 4 —Leicester N.Z. 27 0 Oct. 8—North Midlands N.Z. 40 3 Oct. 11—Cheshire N.Z. 18 5