ALL BLACKS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 13 December 1924, Page 8

ALL BLACKS.

AGAINST W'AUU'iCKSmitT. ( Cb.vIM£MTS ON THE KESCLT. Tne ueuinS vi tut; maicii, wlnen' wen. app.ueuiiv seem to snow tnat a* ao oileu happens ime winning ten lit;, -itnout the .spur prcciuced by st-ioiig dm not snow tne great lorin •i i*ii;ii has m.iriceci so many ci: their uis-: plays. The ospeots ol W arwicksmre .luing oat a pretty strong team, which seemed lately in view ot tne ciubs front •mien they haa to draw, were not borne out, ana quite evidently they were outclassed. uespite a reported keen opposition,. oar lonvards secured tiie ball m the •scrums on most occasions, their weight and condition being uoth superior to tiie local men. The backs co.uld not nave made ettective use of their opportunities. it is interesting to note that the three Taranaki men were playing; brown and West, both of whom hau been more or less on the disabled list, having apparently recovered. The for r mer must have been playing a pretty good game at centre, for live .out of the six tries weie the outcome of combined passing rushes. As Nepia was oh, apparently the result of a bump in the early part of • the match, itj is a. matter for wonder ‘ that the captain did not give the place-kicking to brown, whose recoids in the Dominion proved him a brilliant place-kicker. As it was, Nepia failed very badly. Steel once more showed his scoring ability by crossing the line three times, and Hart added one to his large total. Altogether the report is not very inspiring, and suggests that the team was perhaps a bit stale, and not working together as well as one could wish. There now remain four fixtures, three of which, if the opinions of .the critics have any value, will try out the All Blacks to their fullest. Combined Services generally includes a number oflikely internationals, and may possibly, be os hard a team to beat as any oir the tour. London Counties are likely, to improve if possible on the team which met the Ail Blacks on Novenibei 15, and it should be a good contest.' In the previous match, though The counties were decisively beaten, they made a capital struggle in the lirst spoil. No doubt they will be out to do their very best on the 27th. ' On Jaivarv 3 will come probably the greatest clash of the tour, for England will spare no preliminary work in set leeting the best and getting them into good form. The All Blacks will, need their best team for these matches.