EX-ENGLAND CAPTAIN’S VIEWS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 28 February 1925, Page 10

EX-ENGLAND CAPTAIN’S VIEWS.

After the All England match on January 3, \Y. J. A. Davies, the great stand-off half and ex-captain of All England said that it was the “brilliance of the loose-forwards that won the Test match.” Inter alia he said “New Zealand won the game by their brilliancy in the loose rushes rather than by any marked superiority behind the scrum. They were beaten in the first half by the English pack, who heeled the bail more frequently, but once the ball was free it was odds on a New ‘Zealand player getting there first. ■ It was in the loose that the majority of their tries were .scored. J. Richardson was easily the best forward on. the field, with M. Brownlie a good second. Parke:, ‘the roVer’— who, after the younger Brownlie left the ’ field, pushed in the scrum —was more impressive than I have seen him beforehand was almost as fast as Gibbs, But there wasn’t a slouch or weak forward in the pack, or one.who failed to pull his full weight from beginning to end.” It «ja after the event perhaps, but is intere%ing to note from English papers just tohand that the selectors recognised the strength of the All Blacks’ forwards. Discussing the probables, a leading "English sports, paper said “Whatever outsides may be chosen they will be of little avail unless England ' assert a decided superiority in front. Fortunately the majority of last season’s eight are not. only but in as good form as of yore, and Wake- • field will again have Conway, Edwards, Voyce, and Blakiston round him in the scrum. Sanders. Tucker, and Luddington may lie the other three, although C. •T. Hodgson and 1 Price showed what effective -wingers they a.re. If all our men are fit and well on the day England may score a memorable triumph.”