ALL BLACKS’ TOUR

Hokitika Guardian, 9 August 1928, Page 2

ALL BLACKS’ TOUR

AN EASY WIN. BY 35 TO 3. (Special to Press Association). (Received this Jay at 8.30 a.m.) KING WILLI AMS-TOWN, Aug. 9. For the first time since the All Blacks left Australia they have seen rain. They played the return match with Border on a rain drenched area, before a crowd of three thousand at Kingwilliamstown to-day, winning by 35 points to 3, consisting of four goals, four tries and one penalty to one try. There had been seventeen hours rain which turned puddles into pools. In many respects the match was reminiscent of the famous third test against the Springboks in 1921. It was a gloomy panorama. In spite of the conditions the New Zealanders played surprisingly good football.

The Border team consisted of Lecouder, Belton, Hubbard, Duffy, Klemp, Cheshire, Soutliwood, Landman, Pretorius, Schnell, Nel Seymour, AlcEwan, Clack and Tainton.

The game had hardly started when Lilburne cut clean through the pack and passed to McWilliams. This pass went awry but Finlayson racing up, secured the ball and scored. Lindsay’s kick at goal missed.

A mis-kick by Strang gave Border their one and only try. The hall went to Dulfv who heat Grenside and passed to Belton. The wing man put in a fine run down the line and scored at the corner. The kick at goal missed.

A fine forward movement by the New Zealand forwards took play near the line, where Strang sent his backs away from a scrum. Carleton beat his man. Stewart came in as an extra and handed on to Ruslibrook who scored at the corner. Lindsay’s kick

in i ssed. Border started a good rally but they were soon sent back by hard drives from the All Blacks pack, in which McWilliams, Swain and Burrows stood out. Again from a scrum Strang started the backs moving. Lilburne heat his man and passed to Nicholls who sent a beautiful lob pass over His head to Carleton and thence to Grenside, who had a clear run in. Nicholls failed with the kick. Next followed what may be described as three fast comedy movements by the All Blacks. Thev threw the hall about in haphazard style s\\ inging the attack from one flank to the other. Arc-Williams was the next scorer. He came away in a brilliant solo dribbling rush and when near the line snapped the hall up and dived o\er. Lindsay converted. Cheshire who had an ankle hurt stayed off after half-time.

There was a tame opening to the second half until Swain sent the ball to Strang from a line out. It travelled along the chain to Ruslibrook who scored at the comer. Lindsay missed. The New Zealanders were continually on the attack now, hut the play at this stage was rather ragged. Another try came when Stewart slung the ball far across the field to Ruslibrook, who went hard for the corner and then ran round by the posts. Strang goaled.

Strang then, worked the blind side and sent Stewart over for Nicholls to convert.

A fine break by McWilliams from the ruck gave Snow the next try which Lilburne converted. Border had hardly been out of their 25 during the whole of the second spell. The last score came from Ward’s boot. A penalty was given the New Zealanders 25 yards out and Ward kicked a goal.

The All Blacks were the masters from their first try. Border were never in the hunt and were soundly trounced in both divisions. AlcEwan was the only forward worth mentioning on the Border side and Duffy was the only hack.

All the New Zealand forwards played a great game, particularly McWilliams, Swain, Burrows and Stewart. Snow also did a lot of useful work. Strang played •another sound game giving his backs; a lavish amount of the ball. The LiMburne-Nicholls combination again worked admirably. They have proved to he a fine, thrustful pair. Ruslibrook, Carleton and Grenside gave a lively exhibition. T 1 say, especially in the second half, had more or less of-a picnic. Alley is now confined to bed with influenza.