SPECIAL PREPARATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1188, 10 December 1924, Page 5

SPECIAL PREPARATION.

ALL BLACKS TO MEET ENGLAND. MATCH AGAINST COMBINED TEAM UNLIKELY. LONDON, Dec. 8.

The New Zealanders are having a most enjoyable tour of the Midlands. After the match against the Combined Services on Saturday, the team will take up their residence in secluded quarters on the South Coast, where the 15 to meet England will be selected and undergo special preparation. Tlio newspapers are featuring a suggestion that an extra match should be arranged between the Now Zealanders and a combined team representing England, 'Wales, and Ireland, to be played at tlie Wembley Stadium, the proceeds to go to charity. The proposal emanated from a. group of Cardiff sportsmen, but at present it is purely nebulous and the English Rugby l nion has not heard anything officially of it. It is understood that tlie New Zealanders are not disposed to supplement their original fixture list. Reports are being circulated that Northern Union agents have made tempting offers to allow All Jllnck players to remain in England at the conclusion of tlie tour. Feelers were put out following the. first match of the tour against Devon and were renewed after the game against Ireland. Nepia, Cooke, Nicholls, Richardson and the two Brownlies are the most sought after. It is stated that Nepia summarily rejected an offer of £ISOO cash and a salary, but the agents are reported to be persisting in their efforts.—A. and N.Z. cable. THE LANCASHIRE MATCH. COMMENTS ON “RAGGED” PLAY.

References which were made by Mr S. S. Doan, manager of the All Blacks, to certain features of the match with Lancashire were not allowed to pass without comment, and some of this was made hv the speakers who followed Mr Dean at tlie dinner after the match. According to a newspaper account of the function, Mr Doan, i'll replying to the toast, “Our Guests,” described some of the play as ragged. He is reported as saying that the All Blacks had come to England to “play the game,” and that if the referee had been more strict in the early stages there would have been less “ragged” play. He added that lie would “leave it at that.” Alt* Dean’s remarks are described by one writer as “certainly rather surprising.” Most people, the' writer adds, thought the play was not over-keen, with tile exception of one incident. If the bounds were overstepped it could only concern one Lancashire man and two All Blacks, one of the latter of whom has been referred lo in other matches for _ a too free use ot his feet. It was a pity the matter was referred to. In reply to the toast of his health, Mr D. Helliwell, of Yorkshire, the referee, said he weld on the Held to referee Rugby Union football, and if teams, whether touring or iicniie, did not put out players to play Rugby Union iootball it was not the fault of the referee. The game had given him very little satisfaction. Somehow or other it “did not go,” and it was the second lie had refereed and the third he had seen. It might have been his fault, but the keenness that had been referred to amounted to little or nothing. The Now Zealanders were followers of the great side of 1305 with their wonderful record, and he wished to- say to them, “Do not let I lie result be greater than the game.” They were teaching us a lessen in football, hut lie begged of them not to play to 'the result. TOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA. A visitor from South Africa, in conversation with a member of the Alanawatri Rugby Union, referred lo the forthcoming tour of his country by a New Zealand Rugby football team. lie said ibat I lie South Africans would be very disappointed if the tour was not definitely arranged for this coming season. The. players could anticipate u very good reception and a right royal welcome throughout the country. If the tour did not eventuate ill 1925, it: was hoped that 1926 would see the New Zealanders in South Africa. The visitor said that in South Africa only two countries which, it was considered, could pluy Rugby, properly—New Zealand and South Africa. The Mnnawatu Rugby Union forwarded a cable to the All Blacks congratulating them on t heir very line record and wishing them Christmas greetings. TIIE VERSATILE FULL-BACK. NEPIA THRILLS THE CROWDS. According to Mr Hector Christie, of Wanganui, there is one player among the All Blacks in whom the football ciowcls of the Old Country take a particular interest. “That player,” said, Mr Christie in the course of his talk to the Rotarians, “is the unique full-back, Nepia. He simply thrills them. Nepia, now that he is a fullback, doesn’t forget the nippy things he was wont to do in his original role of a fiveeighth. I flaw him play in two matches, and on both occasions he ‘astonished the natives.’ In the first match Nepia was, at a critical moment, called on to save his side. He alone stood between the onrushing opponents and their coveted score. But he wa« equal to the emergency. The ball was dodging about in front of the rush when, quick as a flash, Nepia had whipped it up. The orthodox thing to do was, of course, to kick it out of touch. But not Nepia. lie butted and tricked his way through the opposing forwards, dodged the backs, and was only grassed when he had got to within ten yards of the enemy’s goal line. Not. bid for a full-back,” said Mr Christie. “And how that great crowd cheered! If ever I heard a noise in my life 1 heard one then.” Air Christie concluded by saying that on the second occasion lie saw the All Blacks play Nepia put up a somewhat similar performance. OXFORD BEATS CAMBRIDGE. Received December 10. 12.25 p.m. LONDON, Dee. 9. At Twickenham, in the annual Rugby football match, Oxford beat Cambridge by 11 points to six,—A. and N.Z. cable.