IRISH TEST TEAM

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 298, 3 December 1935, Page 8

IRISH TEST TEAM

ALL BLACK OPPORTUNTY “As Good a Chance as Any” COMMENT ON ULSTER GAME By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright LONDON, Dec. 2. The Irish team to meet the All Blacks next Saturday has been selected, and it includes seven of the players with whom the New Zealanders drew last Saturday. It is considered that this combination stands as good a chance as any of defeating the All Blacks, particularly if the ground is wet. The team is as follows: — Full-back D. P. Morris (Bective Eangers) Three-quarters J, J. O’Connor (Cork University), L. Muleolmson (North Ireland), A. Bailey (Dublin University), C. V. Boyle, (Dublin University) Five-eighths V, Hewitt (Instonians) Half-back G, JT. Morgan (Clontarf) Forwards

J. A. Siggins (Collegians), C. E. Beamish (Air Force), W. M. Me. Boss (Instonians), 8. Walker (Instonians), Deering (Bective Rangers), T. B. Dunn (North Ireland), C. Wallis (Wanderers), 0, R. Graves (Wanderers).

Maleolmson, Boyle, Dunn and Wallis are newly-capped. The remainder, except Ross, helped Ireland to secure the international ehampionship last season. The team also includes seven North Icelanders, with whom the AU Blacks drew Pn Saturday. "The Times” Bugby correspondent points out that, these things considered, Ireland holds as good a chance as any of defeating New Zealand, who, although they do not anticipate defeat, do not attempt to disguise their anxiety lest the fiery and inspired Irish forward play may upset their calculations.

Mr Howard Marshall, writing in the "Daily Telegraph,” expresses the opinion that, given a really wet day, ths team is fully capable of defeating the All Blacks, who will have difficulty in holding their own in the forwards. Moreover, behind the scrummage is Morgan, probably the best British scrum-half. The encounter may well prove the match of the year. The "Daily Telegraph,” describing the Belfast game as "a headlong roaring fury of a game,” says: "It was the first occasion on which any Irish team has succeeded in staving off defeat by a team from the Dominions. Add the weather to the AU Blacks’ tale of woe and the AU Blacks’ injuries, and the result is not altogether surprising. Do not suppose, though, that the All Blacks were easily held orl that an indifferent side could have fought off their persistent challenge. The AU Blacks should have made more use of the short punt ahead with the slippery ball and less of the inside pass against opponents whose defence round the scrummage was impregnable, but 1 never saw their forwards play with greater devil and drive and never have they been met with greater spirit. Some of their rushes were tremendous, always with King, McLean and Reid in the van. They played the Ulster forwards at their own storming game.