ALL BLACKS GLAD TO REACH SOLID GROUND

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6946, 27 June 1929, Page 7

ALL BLACKS GLAD TO REACH SOLID GROUND

WORST TRIP EVER KNOWN TESTING TIME FOR MEN TO MEET BRITISH TEAM. United Press Association —By Eloctri# Telegraph—Copyright. Received Wednesday, 7 p.m. SYDNEY, Juno 26. The New Zealand football team landed this morning and was glad to feel solid ground underfoot, aftor a voyage which most will remember as the worst ever known. They hope, with a practice in the afternoon and steady training during the intervening days, to be able to meet New South Wales on Saturday in condition to give tho latter a proper example of All Black play. The team was officially welcomed by Mr. Wood, president of the New Soutli Wales union, at Usher’s hotel, when a large and representative gathering of sportsmen enthusiastically endorsed Mr. Wood’s eulogies of tho visitors. The president also expressed regret at the earthquake calamity which recently visited the Dominion. Messrs McLeod, Porter and Dean replied on behalf of tho team. Mr. Doan mentioned that the visit of tho Englishmen next year was expected to bo tho most important football event in New Zealand history. It was announced that it had been arranged for tho Englishmen to plav seven matches in Australia, instead of five as originally planned. As the Englishmen will be tho strongest possible combination, New Zealanders anticipated that heroic struggles would mark their tour and regarded this visit to Australia as a testing time for the men to meet the Homelandcrs whose presence in these southern lands should make for the growth of the amateur game which all held so dear. The All Blacks will subsequently be tendered a civic reception at the Ton n hall.