RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 25 October 1924, Page 9

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

THE ALL BLACKS. The team go on their conquering way, piling up points in fine styie, and in this way- emulating very effectively the deeds of their, great forerunners of 1905. In most matches their form has been good and continually improving. In the Lancashire match,-though they won by what we in . this country would consider a more than handsome margin, their form was not inspiring. Probably. howeveT, as was remarked before, they will do as so many teams have done—-play best ; when hardest pushed. The match with Ireland will be a great try-out. and will be some indication of their prospects against England and Wales, for Ireland was very strong last year. The team will be strengthened by the addition of four of the British touring team, all forwards, in W. J. Roche, J. D. Clinch, J. and J. N. Brand, who will • be eligible for the match with Ireland against the All Blacks. They have represented Ireland in previous years. Two others of the returned internationals in Whitley (half) and Henderson (forward) will ’no doubt be out against the All Blacks for Northumberland, for which county they played last year. Possibly yet another, Holliday, a fullback, will be. the last line of defence for Cumberland against th<4 New Zealanders, if not promoted to the three-quarte.r line, where he sometimes p Jays. One can look forward with confidence to the match with Ireland, in the certain knowledge that the men of Erin will have to play pretty good football, on attack and on defence, if they wish to beat the All Blacks. London Punch, with that faculty of hitting off to the life the point of any, present-day activity in sport, as in life' generally, has a remarkably clever and striking cartoon by L. Ravenhill in the September 10 number. The South African cricketer is just .going aboard as the wearer of the fern leaf —a good likeness of Porter—steps ashore. The superscription is as) follows: —As one . sportsman to another.- —South African cricketer to New ' Zealand footballer : “I hope the summer won’t be too hot for you. We’ve had a wonderful winter.” - One of the. All Blacks is said to be in appearance the double, of a wellknown English Rugby international. The danger is that, in the excitement of a match on a muddy ground, neither of them may be able to distinguish himself from the other. London Punch. Some writers in New Zealand have been criticising the All Black selectors for not spelling some of the players, also for selecting the wrong men (in the opinion of these, critics) to play together. However, the recent cable showing the number . of plavers who are on the casualty list" may he taken as proof that the selectors on the scene are doing iheib best with the material available, despite the opinion of the critics 12,500 miles away. JUST TO BE SURE. '■ There was an ai ; r of gaiety in the village, for the new curate had organised a football club, and this was its

opening game, a married v. single match. The Benedicts, mainly by the aid of one Jerry Wiggins, were leading by two goals at half-time. Just as they were labout to restart, news arrived on the ground of a local railway accident, with fatal results. “I’m in a bit of a quandary, sir,” observed Mr Wiggins tc- the curate, as he left his position on the field. “My missus was in that there train.” “Dear me, Wiggins, I’m sorry to hear it.” was the reply. “You’re naturally anxious to get away.” “No, no. sir, it ain’t that exactly,” observed the possibly bereaved one; “I was only thinkin’ that if anythink’s ’appened to our Betsy, I ought to he playing for the' single chaps this half; so I thought as ’ow it’d be better if I referees till we hears for certain.” The centre-forward dashed up the field with the ball at his foot and got within ten yards of the goal, lost- his head, , and kicked it across the field From, a story in a boys’ oaper. We hope somebody returned his senses to him.