ALL BLACKS IN ENGLAND.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1179, 29 November 1924, Page 10

ALL BLACKS IN ENGLAND.

TO-DAY’S GREAT FIXTURE. THE SECOND INTERNATIONAL. (By “Cross Bar.”) To-day, the All Blacks will enter upon their second international fixture when Wales will endeavour to repeat history by upsetting the even tenor of tho Maoriland-i era’ unbeaten career as they did ill that, 1 memorable match in 1905. Nineteen, years, have gone since that day at Cardiff when.! surrounded by their intensely loyal partisans,,l the wearers of tho red jersey with tliej Prince of Wales feathers emblazoned thereon, gained for themselves the one victory, which fell to the lot. of opposing teams. Much has been written in explanation of that defeat, while it will be remembered' that Deans, who scored the disallowed try, asserted on’his death-bed the validity ol the score. It was the writer's fortune to visit Wales during the war period with an, N.Z.E.F. team, when several of the older followers of tho game in tho Principality freely admitted that Dean's was a fair try. However, the position passed into Rugby history unaltered, and that one defeat, which marred to some small extent the glory of a wonderful tour, has rankled in tho memories of New Zealand enthusiasts. Based on international results Wales is not the formidable opposition of pre-war days,, but, despite the inroads made by tho enticing over to the League code of many of its foremost players, its club strength y's little, if any, impaired. Consequently its playing material is still sound, it beingi more a matter of wise selection of the international sides. This, states Homo critics, has not been done, with tho result that the international tests have not been fair indications of Wales’s true strength. ,

The thoughts and best wishes of all New Zealand enthusiasts will bo with their representatives at Swansea to-day, when it will be hoped that that one defeat of the, 1905 tour will be avenged. On this occa-. sion they will tread that famous turf which' covers the Swansea playing area and on which they compiled 39 points when they faced the fiorne team on September 27. The field is. as many N.Z.E.F. teams know, delightful, being fast and dry which will, if weather conditions are at all favourable, asaist the visitors in their task. THE 1905 GAME. WALES 3, ALL BLACKS 0. THE TOURISTS’ SOLE DEFEAT. On the afternoon of Saturday, December 16, 1905, tho wonder team which had electrilled the Rugby world, met the elect of Wules on the Cardiff ground when tho first defeat of tho tour was inflicted on the All Blacks —a regrettable termination,’ for it was practicaily the close of the tour, to a record-making invasion. In his descriptive account of the match, Mr G., 11. Dixon, the New Zealand manager, wrote: “The afternoon was rather dull, there being neither sunshine nor wind. For football tho weather conditions were perfect, but unfortunately tho ground was greasy on the surface, the result of boing covered with straw for a week before the match, this course having been necessary as a precaution against trest. New Zealand suffered by tho absence from the team of Smith, Cunningham and Stead. The team chosen, the best that could be put in the field at tho moment, was neither our best nor was it in anything like the physical condition of the earlier part of the tour.

“Wales adopted the New Zealand formation, which was a practical admission of its superiority to their much vaunted four three-quarter system. It was not a great game, except in so far as it was rendered great by the importance of tho issues depending upon it, and the intense interest centred on the result. Keen, strenuous and intensely exciting, yes. Brilliant, no. Of really clean football by the backs thero was not a great deal, and this statement was especially true of our team. Tho first, halfhour’s play was chiefly in favour of Wales, they being much more frequently located within striking distance, a result attributable most commonly to the fine lino kicking, and not infrequently were they let through by unaccountable mulling of passes or weak following up by our backs. Then, amidst tho wildest excitement, Wales scored from a scrum inside the New Zealand twenty-five. Owen feinted to the blind

side, but quickly reversed, and pas-.ed out; wide to Pritchard, who passed to Gabo, who sent on to Morgan. The pace of the latterl carried him past Gillert, and ho scored af try in a fairly good position. Winfield’s shot went a little to the left. At this period, Gallaber was being frequently penalised,i and the spectators showed a degree of bitterness towards him and other members', ef the team which did not coincide with; the warmth of their welcome and was ini .striking contrast to the generous spirit of, many other crowds, and notably of the Irishmen. The Welshmen brought off a fino bout of passing when thoy scored, but' only one or two of their other efforts hi, iliis direction wero effective. _ Effective I a can in the matter of gaining ground. l Where Wales did gain ground time. after time was by means of long toucb-findingl kicks, and in this respect there was no comparison between the two sets of backs. The New Zealand kicking, particularly during the first half, consisted of long straight punts up the field, and were invariably returned out of bounds by Winfield. What a useless gruelling was thus inflicted upon th? New Zealand forwards. After the score tile All Blacks came with groat dash, and when the whistle blew for the interval.: nearly two minutes before the proper time, 1 no allowances having been made for two stoppages for injuries, thoy wore hotly attacking on the line, the second half may., I think, bo fairly said to have been chiefly; in favour of New Zealand. On no fmglei occasion did Wales ever look like getting' over the line. Several times the Blacks were forced down by long kicks, and once Push potted for goal from half-way, the bail falling a few yards short, but there vas never an apparent danger of a try being scored. On the other hand New Zealand were several times on the verge of scoring and twice were actually over the fine. Once, from a loose scrum following l centre kick bv McGregor, it appeared that, any one of the half dozen forwards who attempted to gather the ball had only lo pick it up and a score was certain. Another time, Mynott crossed from a snort pass from Roberts, but was hold up before lie could ground tho ball. Again Wallace, picking up in tho loose on his side of the ialf-way, made a brilliant dodgy run, and light, on tho lino passed lo Leans, who (lived over and grounded tho hall well over the chalk line. lie was at once dragged lack, ball and all, into play, and when the -eferee, who was fully thirty yards away, came up, ho gave a scrum five yards out. ’ o sum up the game, I am of the opinion that on the day, New Zealand did not deserve to win, but, that they actually made a draw of ii I am certain. / OTHER OPINIONS. Ilamish Stuart, who throughout the tour was a bitter and biassed critic, wrote: “'[’hat the better side won is tioyond dispute. Indeed with a little luck, tho margin would have been two clear scores, and not a tare try.” „ , , „ The Referee: “It was one of the hardest matches ever played. Wales deserved to win on the day, and they owed their success mostly to the superb full back work of W'infield and the pace and robustness of tne forwards.” , . The London Morning Post : The Welsh side played excellently to a man. Ls nrenius was demonstrated by the ease with which it adapted itself to tactic® foreign to its nature —severe individualism. In short, Whiles beat the New Zealanders at their own game. The London Morning Leader: It was •eucli and go towards the end, and if the. New Zealanders had equalised I don’t think anybody could have grumbled. The London Observer: “The better team won on the day’s play, but assuredly the Ilaorilanders were not seen at their best. The London Daily Chronicle : “The chief explanation of the New Zealanders defeat Is to hi* found in u stateness which must have evidenced itself before had they on,'ouiitered a foe almost as strong as tileni-=ol'-e.s. • The Yorkshire Post: “Ip their enthusiasm for their own country’s success . the Welsh public and a section of tho Welsh press have liardlv done justice to the New Zealanders. After all Wales only won l\v a try and this after playing the game of their'lives, and in a, match in which the Colonials were upset end off (heir game.