ALL BLACK TRIALS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 29 September 1927, Page 7

ALL BLACK TRIALS.

POSSIBLES (31) BEAT PROBABLES (15.)

CHRISTCHURCH. Last Night. Play was rather disappointing in

the South Island All Black trial match to-day. The selectors had apparently grouped the best forwards with the second selection backs, calling this team the Possibles, and the best backs with the second selection forwards which thdy called the Probables. The Probables wore red and black, and the Possibles black. ' The ground was fast and a cool breeze tempered the heat of sunshine. Conditions were* idea) for football. The play was disappointing on the whole, although there were flashes of individual rather than combined brilliance. The black forwards won the match completely outclassing their slower opponents. The Possibles won by 31 points to 15.

The first score was a penalty goal for Possibles kicked by D. Lindsay. A red forward had bren too eager on the side of the scrum well inside his ■own twenty-five. Almost immediately afterwards the blacks lost another score by the hardest luck. Lindsay and Snodgrass had gained ground with- good runs and ■passes until Snodgrass passed infield to Scrimshaw. The latter took the pass well with a clear run in of only twenty yards, when he stumbled and fell. The blacks generally wore hav-, ang the best of play. From a scrum Holden flicked the ball out like a, flash to Reed who swerved t/i boat his man and passed to Snodgrass. The big winger completely outran Steel, bumped hard into Lilburne and had speed enough to get over at thq ■corner. Lindsay kicked a beautiful goal. Blacks 8. Reds 0. ■- The "blanks’ next try was a beauty. After a few indifferent passes Reed gave the ball to Snodgrass racing into it. and Snodgrass fenced a couple of men, bustled Steel, and passed infleld to R. Stewart who was backing up. The fast, big forward was well tackled by Lilburne but almost on the line and he grounded the ball'safely. Lindsay kicked another goal—his third —a very fine kick: Blacks 13. Reds 0. Steel had a chance to show his quality as a strong runner two minutes later. From a formless scramble McGregor secured, cut in cleverly, and passed to Steel. The latter after one of his characteristic bumping and fending runs covered forty yards to the lino and scored. His own kick failed: Btacks 13, Reds 3. Fortunes varied until half time but

there was no further score. The blacks played against the wind in the second spoil but their forwards had the best of all the loose play and two or three times their backs wore set going. Tire red tackling was safe, however. From the blacks’ side of balfway McGregor took a pass well, swerved and passed to Steel who was thrown over the corner flag by Snodgrass, a very good tackle. Steel had Iris revenge five minutes later. Taking a pass from Dulley, Steel raced for the line, shook off Snodgrass, but was tackled round the neck very well by Heazlewood. Almost the same manoeuvre led to almost the same result a moment later,-but this time Steel fended Snodgrass as if he were a schoolboy. Heazlewood down but over the line. This was a good try. Steel failed with the kick: Blacks 13, Reds 6. Steel, who was the only scorer to date for the reds, added three more points by a brilliant penalty goal from the line. The blacks’ forwards always better in the loose swept do’wn the field where Hore. picked up near the line and ran round to score behind the posts. Lindsay goaled: Blacks 18, Reds 9. After a spell in which the reds had the better the bla.cka forced down. From the di’op out their forwards broke loose with the ball at the toe. Hazlett picked up and passed to .Snodgrass. Surrounded Snodgrass dropped the ball to his feet, went on with it, dribbled over the line and fell on the ball to score. Lindsay missed the shot at goal: ,-Blacks 21, Reds 9. From the kick out the reds attacked and a penalty against Alley for flagrant off-side play allowed Strang to kick a goal: Blacks 21, Reds 12. Another penalty for holding the ball gave Strang another chance to goal 'which he accepted: Blacks 21, Reds 15.

Strang 1 had still another shot from another penalty but this one ho missed. from a line out on the reds' line Ihe ball went to Reed who dived over. Lindsay goaled: Blacks 26, Reds 15. The best piece of passing in the match resulted in the blacks scoring again. Holden shot the h a U son, to Reed, to Lindsay, who ran round and scored behind the posts. Lindsay goaled: Blacks 31, Reds 15. This was the final score. Comment On Players.

Very few of the players reproduced their best 'form In the match. The selectors would have no difficulty in selecting Lindsay as the best centre three-quarter, Robilliard had little to do. but his form this season has- been uniformly good, and to-day he gave flashes Ot good play, on his few opportunities. Steel’s display was mixed. *, „Snodgrass was yards faster and always dangerous, but he has not learned the trick of tackling Steel and consequently allowed Steele to beat him twice. Holden on to-day's play was more

interesting than Dailey. His passing from the scrum was immeasurably better, but he did not show Dailey’s enthusiasm on defence. As an attacking half he seemed definitely Dailey’s superior.

Neither Lilburne nor Heazlewood were very convincing, but Lilburne will improve with experience in the position. Scrimshaw was much superior to Johnson at wing-forward. The selectors have kept their original choice of the pack unchanged. The only other forward who on to-day’s play deserved consideration was Freitas (West Coast) who led nearly all the red forward rushes. "!