THE ALL BLACKS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 240, 7 September 1928, Page 10

THE ALL BLACKS

MR FLETCHER EXPLAINS. PRESS CENSORSHIP NOT SUGGESTED. WELLINGTON, Sept. 5. Mr T. A. Fletcher, a member of the management committee of the New' Zealand Rugby Union, who has just returned from a visit to Napier, writes: “My attention has been drawn to a Press Association message from Napier, in which there -are a number of inaccuracies. In the course of my remarks I made no suggestion whatever that tho Press Association reports from South Africa should have been censored by the manager. When the question was raised l pointed out that the New' Zealand Rugby Union had afforded every facility to the Press Association in sending their own representative, but that w r e could not exercise any supervision over what I lie cabled to New Zealand. Such a principlo would be wrong, as it would restrict the freedom of the Press. “In fairness to the New Zealand Press Association representative, I Xiointed out that the criticism of Brownlie had not emanated from him, but from a private letter received in Auckland, and that mo exception could be taken to any of his reports. Members of the Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union agreed that W'e could not claim the power of supervising Press Association reports. They naturally felt that an injustice had been done to Brownlie bv anonymous criticism behind his back while he was not here to defend himself, and they felt lie should have an opportunity of vindicating his actions.

“If the publicity given lias the effect of putting a stop to many of the alarmist rumours that have been circulated recently it will certainly be a blessing to everybody concerned.”

“TOO SERIOUS.’

ALL BLACKS ON TOUR,

SELDOM LAUGH OR SMILE

Are the All Blacks too serious? Interesting comment on the demeanour of'the team in South Africa has been made by the chairman of the South African Rugby Board, Mr A. J. Pienaar, and by. an experienced journalist travelling with 'the players (says an exchange) Air Pienaar spoke of .some of the difficulties of touring teams, particularly overseas teams visiting Soiufi Africa. “One great disadvantage which a touring side has to contend with,” lie said, “is having for months on end to live in a Rugby atmosphere all the time. The effect is psychological, lmt is too often under-estimat-ed. Tlio waking-iip with Rugby, spending the day at it, and then going to bed with it, all bring about a mental strain from which the home side are almost entirely free.” “These remarks of Mr Pienaar’s are, of course, very true,” states Mr E. M. Howard, “and in my own view' the 1926 All Blacks, with the very best intentions in the ' world, are, I feel, tending rather to over-emphasiso that handicap. That at least is the conclusion I have come to after living with them day in and day out for the past six weeks. In Great Britain in 1924 the time spent in travelling was far less, and almost negligible in quantity compared with what it is on this occasion. The team also struck a far greater number of large towns during 'the tour, where the opportunities for real relaxation from Rugby football, so essential to avoid mental as well as physical staleness, were more numerous and more varied.

DON’T KNOW HOW TO RELAX.”

“In my opinion these 192 S All Blades have been taking their tour too seriously. They are inclined to suftei from the drawbacks of their very laudable qualities of great keenness and deadly earnestness. They, train too rigorously, too conscientiously, for the purpose of such a long and exhaustive tour, and they do not know how to relax sufficiently. They do not laugh enough, let off steam enough, or endeavour to a sufficient extent to take their minds off the whole subject ot Rugby. Far be it from me to presume to lay down the law to our visitors as to how they should or should not spend ilk'ir time between mutches, and in any case this criticism is, of course, meant in an entirely helpful and friendly spirit. “It “is a great pity there is not among members of the present team more musical talent, especially of tlie banjo or ukulele variety. One never hears them indulge in healthy, iullthrOated singing even on the long and weary train journeys. The sound of a banjo or even of a mouth organ is unknown among them, and day in and day out one does not hoar half enough good whole-hearted laughter or cheerful noise. One does not even see many smiles. I feel convinced that Lf our visitors only understood better how to relax, and, at the right moments, how to let off steam in a healthy and perfectly legitimate manner, tliey would have a ..better record to show on this tour. Not even the 1924 AIL Blacks trained more conscientiously or were quieter behaved.

RIGOROUS TRAINING HARMFUL

“Both these facts are in somewhat striking contrast to some teams I have itoured with. But, praiseworthy though this is to the All Blacks, there is also a reverse side to that particulai medal. One naturally wants to keep a right and proper balance in the matter, but I feel absolutely certain, from a good deal of experience, that it is quite as harmful for a touring side to train too rigorously and to take thendaily life in too deadly earnest, as it is to overdo the letting off steam busithe All Blacks on their return to Johannesburg from their Rhodesian trip certainly gave the appearance of being in a more jolly frame of mind than at any other time yet since their tour began. They, played witii fine abandon at Bulawayo, although admittedly against a weak side. ROLE OF “AUNT SALLY.” “Another very just remark made l>y A. J. Pienaar was that a touring team like these New Zealanders pcrfoicL fills the role on tour of a sort of ‘Aunt Sally.’ Every one of their opponents Iras a jolly good shy at them. For the home side that one match is the match of the year, perhaps or years; but the tourists, with a limited number of players at their disposal and long distances to travel, have to try to husband their resources of every kind to tide over the whole three months’ tour. In a country such as South Africa, that breeds a race so splendid physically, and where grounds are frequently on tli© hard side, this point assumes quite considerable importance.”