ALL BLACKS ARRIVE

Northern Advocate, 24 May 1928, Page 5

ALL BLACKS ARRIVE

ROUSING RECEPTION

TEST PROGNOSTICATIONS.

SPRINGBOKS CONFIDENT:

I (Australian Press Association.) ( (Received 8.22 a.m.) DURBAN, May 22. A rousing welcome was given the All Blacks on their arrival at Durban today. The team landed in excellent fettle, glad that the tedious trip of five weeks had ended. The team practised on the Durban ground this morning. Ureat admiration was expressed for the style of the New Zealanders, who are confident of their prospects. The party was met at the wharf by the Mayor and officials of the Rugby Union. The official luncheon was a great success. Wonderful enthusiasm was shown. The “Natal Witness” is emphatjc that thp New Zealanders will lose the first and second tests, also against Transvaal. The Springboks expect the All Blacks to win the first test, but to lose the others. Botha Reid, one of the 1905 Springboks, said: “After the first six games the South Africans will have learned all the New Zealanders can teach thepi. ’ ’ The newspapers devote pages to the arrival of the team. Everywhere they are jubilantly applauded. The hospitality is unbounded. The team is overwhelmed with the spontaneous reception. The average weight of the players is lost, the backs averaging list 101 b and the forwards Mst 81b.

THE OPENING MATCH,

APPROVED BY N.Z. UNION,

WELLINGTON, This Day.

At a meeting of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union, it was decided to cable the manager of the All Blacks and also the South African Rugby Union that it approved of the opening match of the tour being played on May 30. —Press Assn.