1935 ALL BLACKS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 42, 17 January 1935, Page 2

1935 ALL BLACKS

WHOM TO CHOOSE. YOUNG AND KEEN BACKS. DUNEDIN, Jan. 16. Valuable advice for the budding All Blacks’ captain and manager was given in an interview by Dr. lan Maclean, a former Otago University student, now bacteriologist in St. Alary’s Hospital, London, who is doing a round trip on tho steamer Akaroa. The standard of Rugby in England at present was very strong, said Dr. Maclean. However, the improvement during reoent years had. been confined mostly to back play, there being no corresponding difference in forward plav. The imj>rovement among the backs seemed to be due to the reintroduction of side-stepping by the inside men, the stand-off halves, and their collaborators. These tactics increased. the speed of all attacking movements, and appeared to be the only effective way of combating the close-up marking that had become the constant feature of all Rugby in Britain particularly in big matches. In wet weather and when a team was in its own twenty-five, the favourite formation in packing was the 3 —2 3 scrum, whereas in dry weather and when a side was definitely on the attack the 34 —1 formation was generally adopted. Among London teams footwork and dribbling were seldom seen, and as a consequence the forwards were apt to become disorganised on a wet day. “It is to be hoped that when the All Blacks go Home they will not continue the policy of the 1924-25 team in trying to win ail their matches at any cost, said Dr McLean. “The unbeaten record of that team was a great achievement, but if persisted in as a plan of campaign it will produce mediocre football from the spectacular viewpoint. “In choosing the team the selectors would he well advised to pick a good many players who are young and keen. It is important that the inside hacks, in particular, should possess youth, fitness and the resilience that will enaiJe them to take the hard knocks which will inevitably be experienced in big games. If any ‘old gentlemen’ are included, for the sake of having experienced.players, they should be chosen for positions further out. or at full-back, where they may, if they are lucky, find time to fall more comfortably. The weakness in the last Springbok side was the inclusion of Bennie Osier, whose football years were well advanced. It was obvious that the team suffered from the age of Osier’s bones.” When the New Zealand Rugby Union met to select a manager for the team it must remember that the manager had to live with and control the team for at least five or six months. Dr Maclean said. The manager, therefore, had to be both manager and friend, sufficiently strong in character to control the varied types that went to make up a football team. Perhaps one of his most important duties concerned his appearances in public and at social functions among Rugby enthusiasts and players. It occurred to him that Mr V. R. Meredith was the type of nmnager who would fill the bill admirably.