FOOTBALL

Hokitika Guardian, 17 February 1932, Page 2

FOOTBALL

THE ALL BLACKS. END OF CONTROVERSY. LONDON, January 5. A New Zealander’s letter and the intervention of the Sodth AfrieanEnglish match seem to have put a stop to any further controversy over Mr H, R. Jejjkin’s unfortunate statement regarding the All Blacks. Following Mr Packford’s article a correspondent signing himself “A New Zealander” wrote as follows to “Sporting Life” : “Undoubtedly the New Zealand Rugby team of 1924 had the hope in the back of their mind!s that they would get through the season without losing a match. And why not? “Mr H. R. Jenkins, a former M.P. of New Zealand; who was in England recently, has chosen a most untactful but effective way of getting into the limelight.

“As Christinas-time in New Zealand is an off-season for newspapers, no doubt our editors have seized on this controversy with avidity, nevertheless with their respective tongues in their respective cheeks. It should n°t bo taken too scriouslv.

“As Mr Packford remarks, there are no pots to be obtained as the result of playing ‘Rugger’ these days. “Incidentally, there is a vast difference between the spirit of a veteran Rugby team- and that of the young cricketers who were being ‘taught behaviour’ by their excellent and experienced captain.”

MATCH AGAINST GERMANY. NEW ZEALANDER, PLAYS. LONDON, January 5. W. E. Henley, New Zealand Rhodes Scholar for 1920, played for Blackheath last Saturday in a Rugby match against a German team from Hanover. The home team beat the visitors by five goals, one penalty goal and two tries (34 points) to one dropped goal (four points). Henley kicked two of the goals. The German forwards wore outweighed, and did not get their share of the ball. Ther ideas concerning footwork were elementary, nor did they do much good in the lino out. Backheath had an easy task; in fact, they might well have scored very many more points than they did. With an extra man in the scrummage and with their greater weight, the forwards wore able to obtain the ball at least seven times out of ten.