FINAL TRIAL

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 6 October 1927, Page 5

FINAL TRIAL

ALL BLACK SELECTION.

COMMENTS ON THE FLAYERS,

FINE MATERIAL REVEALED

BY TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL TO THE STAR. WELLINGTON, Oct. 5. The final of the All Black trial games revealed further fine material km- the African tour, but as in 1924, when the certainties were excluded from the last match of the trial series, there was a distinct falling off in the standard of play, particularly among the forwards. On paper the. teams looked fairly evenly matched, though it was thought that the selectors had picked a better back line containing Cooke, Lucas and Johnson for the Possibles and had given them a weaker pack. In practice it proved that the*White forwards were in every way superior to the opposition, and once the teams' changed round, and the Whites had the wind behind them, they practically did what they liked. In the final stages of the game Cooke, Johnson and Lucas were making repeated dazzling runs through the opposition and giving their team perfect opportunities. Beaten in the scrums after the first few minutes, in line-outs, and in the loose, and badly tired in the attempt to close the door against the flying White backs, the toiling Black forwards were not in the picture towards the cud of the game, while the White pack, playing with superb confidence, showed up more and more. The match proved again that Cooke is the finest inside back of his- generation. His lightning decisions, elusiveness, and extraordinary speed in attack made the opposition look like men of club standard. A,good second to him was Lucas, who showed fine speed, and frequently made runs of 30 and 40 yards. Johnson also showed tip increasingly as the chances- came his, way, and next to Cooke was the I vest inside back on the ground. Stewart delighted the crowd by his dash and enterprise, and after Lucas was the best of the wingers. Hook quite failed to redeem himself, and Rushbrook, while he made some good runs, was very selfish. Neither centre was impressive, though Brown was better than Stringfellow, who often spoiled nice- openings which his inside backs had- made.

Both the full-backs played usefully, and there was very little between them. Hazelwood’s retirement took place five minutes after the second spell began, but up to that time he had played a fine game, though he was not so solid in defence as Butler, who kicked usefully with both feet, and was not the tackier that Lilburne showed himself to he when he came on.

Of the half-backs McManus was the more prominent because he had more chances, but Holden was slightly more clever, and Towards the end of .the game made some pretty , moves. Neither half had an easy time, however, because of the fact that all the forwards were determined to shine in the loose, and breakaways were very rapid. Round the scrums Berridge did a 'of of useful work, and should find a dace in the team, though he offset •eall.v excellent consistent play in the opening spell by foolish mistakes. Strai’" was eomnletelv out of it, and he Blacks’ inside hacks were often passing without making any ground. Of the wing forwards. S rimshaw showed himself vastly superior to Porter, who was just a bustler. and showed not a vestige of his great form of Years past in the loose. The best of the hookers was Burrows. and after him Coulston. Hadley, however, played an honest game, end worked all the time. Alley was more prominent than Conrad. and showed up as one of the best allround men of the field. Ward and Knight played well in the opening spell, hut were run off their legs by tlie White hacks in the second half, in which Freitas, Godfrey and Snow were much more prominent. Godfrey is somewhat slow, hut otherwise a line forward. Conrad is another grafter, but is not able to keep up with the other fast forwards.

Surveying the match as a whole, it seems that the back play was on a higher level than the Possibles v. Probables game before the English tour, but this was probably due to the fact that more backs remained to he picked than was the ease three years ago. The forward play was on much the same level as the* previous trial, though the serum work was distinctly better. There was also much more "ombination and unselfishness, save on the part of one or two men, and sounder line kicking and handling. Everything to-day was done with _ a purpose, and there was little wild play. Looking at the players who took the field to-day as the only ones in tlie running for the African tour, it seems as though the South Island will claim the lion’s share in the selection, since tlie most impressive showing was made in one set of forwards by Scrimshaw, Alley and Burrows, and in the other sot of hacks hv Hazelwood, Stewart, and Holden.

SURPRISES OF THE SELECTION

MORE COMMENTS ON THE PLAYERS. WELLINGTON, Sept. (5. The final trial, Possibles against Probables, was a meip caricature of a game and wou.'d better have been entitled Possibles v. Impossibles. If the selectors ini choosing the Probables pally had some idea that they would, probably lie in the final selection, they must have blinked their eyes while watching them yesterday. Penalties wer> still too much in evidence, but the defence of the Possibles against the strong wind was admirable, and a. vast improvement on the North v. South match. No try was obtained against them, hut they secured four theinsolws. With the wind they simply ran over their opponents as they liked uni i! Lilhurne replaced Hazlewood at full-back. He did some splendid collaring. stopped several 1 more tries and no doubt won through to thp final selection by his performance. . The Auckland hack contingent, especially Lucas, were dn much better form than on Saturday, but the bright particular star of the day, and the de“ght. of the crowd was Cooke, who. flashini')’ about like a .swallow, scored twice himself, and made numerous openings for others. Scrimshaw’s speed and fast following got him three tries and a place in the team. One of th,e> greatest surprises in the finai’ selection is Rushbrook. a young Wellington player, who until a few week* ago, had never been heard of except in club matches. flh usually played five-eigliths, and was only tried as wing three-quarter when the selector was hard up for someone to fill the position. Another surprise is the exclusion of Snodgrass, who, manv good judges were of the opinion, should have

been in the 1024 team, and on his pin? on Saturday thorou*?ln<y deserved a r-lnce in the AH Blacks. Niohollg and Sheen have obviously been chosen, not on their form in the trials, but because of their known general ability, much on the .same principle as Dempster was put into the cricket team, though he had a failure most of the season. Both of these men. however, have played brilliantly in the inter-union ganie.s and no doubt the selectors think that the NiohollsCooke combination will still be as big a. factor for success as n't was in England. _____________