ANOTHER WIN

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 10 November 1924, Page 5

ANOTHER WIN

ALL BLACKS DEFEAT NORTHUMBERLAND. BY 27 TO 4. [ln the second half of the contest against Northumberland the All Blacks showed great improvement and succeeded in defeating the county team by 27 points to 4. Northumberland had no fewer than three internationals in their ranks, and in it is interesting to note that the three Taranaki men played in this contest.]

BY CABLE —PBES.V ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT (Received Nov. 10, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 9. The Star says it is reassuring, if strange, to learn that leading Rugbyites are confident that England • will heat the All Blacks in January, despite the New Zealanders’' formidable qualities. England should be able to get forwards sufficiently skilful to dominate the game, judging by what the packs of less expert teams have accomplished against the tourists. English nacks ought to bo available as resourceful in attack as the New Zealanders.—Sun Cable. . LONDON, Nov. 8. ' The All Blacks defeated Northumberland by 27 points to 4. The County team Included three international players—Catcheside, Wallace and Whiteley. Sixteen thousand people Were present. Rain prior to the match made .the ground heavy. The New Zealand .team was: Full-hack—rNepia. Three-quarters—Hart, Brown, Steel. Five-eighths—Cooke, McGregor. Half—Mill. Wing-forward—Parker. Forwards—McCleary, Donald,' Masters, C. Brownlie, Richardson, Cuppies, West. The New Zealanders took the offensive from the jump and Northum- , berland were compelled to force down three minutes after the start. The northerners retaliated in fine spirit, out brilliant tackling by the All Blacks held/them in check. The New Zealanders’ Back machinery, however, was not working up to the usual standard, several showing a disinclination to go down against ugly forward rushes, while McGregor was hanging on: to the hall overmuch. The New Zealanders’ handling of the leather 'improved as the game progressed, hut the northerners’ tackling was grim and effective. Steel twice put in strong runs, hut Catcheside brought him down in brilliant fashion. • The Northumberland forwards were playing dashingly in the loose, hut the rushes were not well controlled. Both sides were indulging in .spoiling tactics. The northerners’ defence survived a prolonged period of severe pressure until thirty-seven min- ' utes after the start, when Hart crossed their line as the climax to a brilliant passing movement, in which West, Cooke and Parker participated. Nepxa’s kick at goal missed and the first spell ended; — New Zealand 3 Northumberland ............... 0 On resuming the New Zealanders eobn began to dominate the game, tries being scored in quick succession. They had been below par in the first spell, hut now improved considerably. From a scrum near the Northumberland line Parker kicked over , and Cooke flashed across and scored: Mill converted. . Excitement was great as fluctuating play followed, in which Catehfiide was always prominent. In one effort he ran through half the team and showed particular brilliance. Immediately afterwards the same player dropped a beautiful goal from the field. This was thevCouuty men’s only score. \ The New Zealanders quickly return- . ed -to the attack and Mill dived over upder the posts, but failed with the kick. The New Zealand backs were now playing in excellent form. Brown scored as the o result of fine, collective passing, but ’Nepia’ s kick was abortive . Shortly after Cooke made a splendid run and passed in to Mill, who ecored and added a goal. The 1 All Blacks’ superior weight and pace overwhelmed the home side in the closing stages. • Richardson scoredunder the posts and Mill converted. Then Steel ran round the opposition and obtained a try. hut Nepia failed with the kick, and the game ended : New Zealand 27 Northumberland 4 The All Blacks were penalised nine times; but gained possession of the hall most from the scrums. The team as a, whole and particularly the hacks entirely retrieved themselves after au indifferent beginning. Parker, Richardson, Masters and Brownlie were the most prominent forward®, and Mill, Cooke and Brown were the best of the hacks. ENTERTAINED AT NEWCASTLE. LONDON, Nov. 8 The All Blacks were yesterday the guests at a luncheon given by the Newcastle Rotary Club, and inspected Parson’s turbine works. After the match to-day they were entertained as the guests of the Lord Mayor, and leave on Sunday for London, where they remain ten days. NO MATCH IN SCOTLAND. LONDON, Nov. 8. The Daily Express states that Scottisch Rugbyites are indignant at the Union’s refusal to permit an All Blacks match in Scotland. It is pointed out that half the visitors are of Scottish descent; yet they are shut out from the land of their fathers. MATCHES IN ENGLAND. LEICESTER DEFEAT CAMBRIDGE. LONDON, Nov. 8. Saturday’s Rugby matches resulted : Leicester beat Cambridge University by 39 points to 3; Newport beat Cardiff, 6 to 3; Coventry beat Guy’s Hospital 11 to 5. In the county championship Cumberland beat Lancashire by 22 points to nil at Workington. (By Spectator.) The report indicates that in the opening stages the opposing team put up a stubborn defence, and this, combined with spoiling tactics, prevented the All Blacks putting the finish on their .attacking movements. Only one try—by Hart—was scored in the first spell. As soon, however, as they turned they showed a marked superiority, and on six occasions they

crossed the County line. Nepia apparently was “off,” and Mill converted three out of five attempts. The report gives a most unflattering indicating of the pla-y of the backs in the first spell, but it .also seems to show that the County forward® were giving our front line aj rough time, and that the Lacks were called on to do a- lot of heavy gruelling work It was a day out for Mill, and -his individual brilliance appears to have been much in evidence. Hart, Brown and West were all playing, and Brown is singled out lor special mention. It will he a general hope in Taranaki that he is keeping fit and well, for he has been out of the team for quite a- number of matches.

The Northumberland match is,,.as it were, t'he opening phase of the second spell, for Ulster marked “half-time” in the series of the tour. They have scored victories m every match and notched so many points, proving their consistent scoring - capability under all conditions, and also the strength, skill, speed and endurance of the forward line that it looks unlikely they will fail in any of the matches yet to be played. Against county teams which were considered to he the strongest and against the Welsh and Irish teams, they have shown a marked superiority or a capacity to wear down strong opposition, which promises confidently for the remaining matches. And, despite the hard going and the strenuous play, the team is fit and well save for a number of minor injuries. They have, of course, a number of matches, considered to he very serious tests of condition and -skill, still to play. London Counties, the Welsh international, Oxford University, Combined Services, -and greatest of all, the test with England, and France is reported to have a high standard of Rugby. Everyone will hope New Zealand will come through unbeaten. If, however, any of these teams should be good enough to lower the colours of the team they will have to he pretty good, and no one will be more ready to give them credit than New Zealanders themselves. WEDNESDAY’S MATCH. The first of the ’Varsity matches will be played against Cambridge on Wednesday. Recent cables show that her team was beaten by Leicester, and it may be added Oxford University by Gloucester. These results point to the All Blacks being much too strong. However, interest will he maintained, and though everyone will look for the results as keenly as ever, the greatest interest will he taken in the match against Wales on Saturday, November 29.