THE ALL BLACKS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 18 December 1924, Page 7

THE ALL BLACKS

CONTEST WITH HAMPSHIRE. COUNTY TEAM’S DEFEAT. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAY. CABI.E-reB.ESS. ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT (Received Dee. 18, 2.20 p.m.) , LONDON, Dec. 17. Ihe match between New Zealand and Hampshire was played on the Association ground at Portsmouth There was a crowd of 15,000, which encroached within five yards of the lines. The New Zealand team was: Full-back: Nepia. Three-quarters: Hart, Lucas and Svenson, Five-eighths: Cooke and McGregor. Half : Mill. Wing forward : Parker. . rForwarcl's: Irvine, Donald, Harvev, M. Brownlie, West, White and Cuppies. 1

The All Blacks lost no time, in penetrating Hampshire’s territory, setting up a hot attack on. the home team’s Jinea-ight from Parker’s kick-off. Twice McGregor nullified chances of scoring by dropping passes, and it was not fong before the Hampshire forward# spiritedly took up. the challenge and carried play on to the All Blacks’' line twice. Mill relieved critical situations "S’ Ending the line with long kicks, and then after these early exchanges of desperate attacks, had died down Play became slower,, mainly owing, to the heaviness of the ground, and resolvgd •itself into; a dour, dogged- struggle between the packs of forwards. In the first half of the spell Hampshire easily held their own, and in several attacking movements the old internalonal half,. Kershaw, was conspicuous. Unce the international wing auarter, Hamilton Wickes made a bril“ant T I 11 ' gaining much ground, and ie Irisfi _ international. Stephenson, similarly threatened to break through the hew Zealand defence, but Nepia U-as equal: to the test. After half ad hour e play Mill- set the New Zealand backs in motion, and the ball went out to Svenson who passed in to Donald, and the All Black hooker got .over. Nepia failed to* convert., All Black ,j 3 Hampshire *- ; 0 Just before the interval Cooke and Parker pictured in a- brilliant dribb mg rush, and the former crowned a splendid effort with a try, which White converted, Th e score at half-time was: All Blacks g Hampshire 0 So far play had not been brilliant as a whole,, but very hard and very close. J

TV hen ulay was resumed after the interval Hampshire set up two valiant attacks and carried play right on t 0 the New Zealanders’ line, but after a spfendid encounter they were repulsed and Cooke, breaking through with the bail at the toe, dribbled fifty yards down the centre of the field, and as a ot advantage thus gained IVl.cCaTegor got over to score in. su good'* position. White missed with the kick All Blacks 11 Hampshire 0 The New Zealanders’' combination now began to assert itself, and Hampshire were compelled to play a defen- 1 sive game. Cooke narrowly missed drop-kicking a goals, aud Hampshire were next in danger when tlieir forwards were penalised- for off-side play. Nepia kicked a magnificent goal, almost from the touch-line. All Blacks 14 Hampshire l J. ....;. 0 ■ At this stage heavy fog enveloped fhe ground, and/ it' was exceedingly difficult tq drstihguish the players; The ganK continued to be fought on Hampshire’s line, the All Blacks never letting up. Mill sent out a swift pass to Svenson on the blind side of the scrum, and the Wellington three-quar-ter dashed over in the corner, ftepia failed to convert. All Blacks .17' Hampshire 0 , The next'score was; the result of a delightful interchange of passes between Milk McGregor and Svenson, and McGregor eyeutuaUy scored a try, from which Nepia kicked an excellent goal. All Blacks. 22 Hampshire ~0 . Towards the close the - fog increased in density, and- it became ultimately quite impossible to pick out the players. Several times the ball was lost and play Was momentarily held up. For that reason there was no further score, the game ending;— All Blacks 22 .Hampshire . “q , The All Blacks ? unfailing combination was the deciding factor of the game. Hampshire performed well individually. The visitors were penalised L only twice during_the whole game. 4 White, who captained the All Blacks, retired in the closing stages owing to a recurrence of his shoulder trouble • after playing a . magnificent game. Among others who were prominent were Donald, Guppies, Brownlie, Gooke, McGregor and Svenson. In -thL' match, the All Blacks passed the aggregate of 608 points of the first - African team in 1906, and their record is now second only to their predecessors of' 1905. HAMPSHIRE MATCH. COMMENT ON THE RESULT. TWO’ lEMAINING MATCHES. (By Spectator.) A substantial win was expected against Hampshire, although the county is acknowledged a strong side and would probably include many of the Services? members. But the result of the match against Combined Services showed that our men were much too good and clever. Although the tour is so near its conclusion there appear to be no evidences of the staleness which was evinced at the end of the 1905 tour, and which undoubtedly accounted for that team having such a hard time in Wales, where were played the last five matches of the tour. There are- naturally some of the players suffering from minor injuries and sickness, but as a team they can always put in a fit and well combination. However, the ten days spell before the second London Counties fixture and the week later before meeting England -will be much appreciated and should serve to put the Test Team into the best possible condition and to enable them to take the field in great heart for the great contest of the tour. The original All Blacks had a much harder < time and crammed thirty-two matches into the period, between September 16

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