ALL BLACKS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 289, 10 November 1925, Page 11

ALL BLACKS

ENGLISH PRAISE

THE SCRUM FORMATION,

LONDON, Oct. 29. The 1025 John Wisden’s Rugby Football Annual pays a high tribute to the New Zealand footballers who toured Great Britain last season, playing.3o matches without a defeat, and scoring 721 points against ,112. After pointing out that an unquestionably harder task was faced than that by Dave Gallaher’s famous hand of 1905, the writer says: “So finely did the New Zealanders acquit themselves upon nearly every occasion that it was a matter for much regret that they had no match with Scotland —the winners of the international cnampionship—and that England, in making scarcely any preparation for the contest at Twickenham, should have courted disaster. Still, the absence of a fixture with Scotland and the strange course adopted by the English authorities did not detract from the glorious achievements of the tourists in winning 28—or, if the games in France are included, 30 —matches off the reel.

ADMIRABLY EQUIPPED

“At all points they were admirably equipped. They had great strength which they put to telling use, and a capital turn of speed in nearly every instance, and they were always in splendid condition, while the team work excited general, admiration. Particularly noticeable was this last quality in the backing-up in attack, any man who got away being always certain of finding two or three colleagues close at hand to whom to pass directly he found himself in difficulties, while in times of pressure the covering of the back in trouble by the other outsiders was so prompt and sure as to ensure an almost impregnable wall. “Outstanding, too, in the driving force of the side was the way in which a player nearly always gained ground before parting with the ball, the straight running of the centres that avoided any boring of the wings on to the touch line, the constant endeavour to keep the ball in play, and the quick, close and accurate handling. Nothing, also, could have been more effective than the smothering tackles, whilo most of the men kicked with power and accuracy. BUILT INTO PACK. “The New Zealand scrum formation was obviously thought out very carefully. Each man had his recognised position in the pack, being selectei for it largely by reason of his physical attributes. The two front row men were hookers pure and simple, and wore not expected to do any shoving. They had to be strong, thick-necked fellows, and as near as possible the same height and weight. The real push in the scrummage came front the second row, mainly from the two men on either side of the ‘lock,’ and so closely were the technical details of their duties worked out that their outside feet had to be in such a position—roughly at an angle of 45 degrees—that, directly the scrum was broken tip, they could get away without first having to shift their feet. Equally, the back row men worked upon a premeditated plan, linking up before they went down, and building themselves into the pack on the ‘lock’ who, slightly taller than th© rest, kept his feet well apart to facilitate the egress of the ball when it was heeled.’’