ALL BLACKS Show BETTER FORM

Northern Advocate, 7 December 1935, Page 6 (Supplement)

ALL BLACKS Show BETTER FORM

A Better Match Against Combined. Services—

LONDON, October 19. TX7HILE the All Blacks were playing 1 • • -the Combined Services at Aidershot today, a 100-mile-an-hour gale was raging near Glasgow, the scene of theii list match. The weather was fine in the south, but a strong, cold wind blew down the field at the Command Central Ground and gave New Zealand the advantage in the first half. The result of the game, 6—5 (two tries to a converted try) gives a pretty good representation of the ability of the teams. ‘ The Combined Services had fairly hippy backs, who threw the ball about in 1980 style, but, like many other English teams, they left all the penetration for their wings and forwards. Many times the ball would go right across the field before gaining an Inch, until it reached the hands of either of the two dangerous wingers, Novis or Unwin. Both ' are internationals. Novis was in New Zealand with ' the 1930 team. He captained the ..Combined team today. They possessed a slow but nevertheless sure (except when he let Mitchell through) full-back in Knapman. He held the same position in the West Counties team to meet our men at Devonport, the first match. Tarr had faced the All Blacks before, too, the successful hooker at Swansea. And Watkins, a rattling good forward with snowy hair, played against us at Bristol. „ A Heavy Pack. - Their pack I should/ say was as -heavy as ours and they applied their -weight to more purpose. Our 3—4 —l scrum looked uglier today than ever fit has done before. One would have •.thought they were playing ring-a-rosie, so unbalanced were they at times. Mahoney’s useful weight was wasted in the back row. Several times I heard Hadley calling for weight and support from behind. They were willing to push but their formation was too awkward to allow them to. Consequently ,they were often shoved off the ball. The line-outs were won more often -.by the Services.

A Fine Fight. Services forwards put up a fine fight, but were over-eager and the whistle was often against them when ■they looked most dangerous. Hadley, playing -his first game sihce the opening match, saw to it that Tarr did not repeat his performance of Swansea, and the hooking was pretty even. Tarr, by the way, a : naval A. 8., is considered the finest hooker in England today. Otherwise, too, Hadley played a good hard game, often being in the fore alongside Pepper. Pepper came back to his old game again with a vengeance. He packed well in the front row and was on the ball like lightning always—the finest, loose forward of the side. , He received a knee injury in the second spell. McKenzie ran him a good second. Best and King were both injured, the latter in the nose. Hore and Vorrath both played bright football. Mahoney was the best lineout man we had and got it quite often, but he did not compare favourably with Kendrew. Safe as a Church. Gilbert was as safe as a church again, with plenty of sensational linekicking; one which gained half the field. However, one or two of his long in-field kicks puzzled me. I can’t see what he had to gain by them. His handling was good, but all his shots at goal failed. Hart had a day off. His handling was not good and his defence generally a bit weak. It’s not often he lets a man through, but Unwin beat him today. Mitchell, On the other hand, was a first-class winger, and his try w;as a lovely one. It was a dash right into the midst of the opposition cutting their defence to pieces. His backing up and tackling were splendid. Oliver combined good attack and defence to the advantage of the New Zealanders. He, too, backed up very well and had more than a helping hand in most movements. One of his brilliant attacks was backed up well by Caughey, who, after passing to him, came round on the outside and carried On after Oliver had beaten two men. Caughey played a good game, too, brilliant in patches. His try was a\ solo effort and a pretty one. Tindill can be accused of kicking into touch tco much. His kicks were all good

' Kendrew was their star in this respect. He led their pack and played a good game, but he talked too much. We could forever hear his voice encouraging each . individual player. •Hore drowned it once by a loud, “Come on now. Black, mark a man and go through.”

STILL ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

and it was the safe thing to do, but it showed a lack of enterprise. Tries are not scored from the boot. Otherwise there is ho fault to find with him. His defence was as solid as any player oh the field and by going up after the Services had hooked the ball he frustrated many a back movement. Too Much Kicking/ It has been a fault of all the fiveeighths lately, to kick too much. haps they are acting under instructions. Corner saved once or twice by good handling, but he was far too slow getting the ball out. in my opinion. It c<p‘ be said that there was an improvement in the loose work of the forwards and an improvement in the backs, but long periods of the game were without interest. The Services’ score not long before time made them eager for a deciding try, and the whistle saw them press-1 ing hard. Eleven ! thousand spectators were present. Suitable music was provided by regimental bands, and, of course, as it was a military match, the Union Jack flew at the top of one of the stoutest staffs I have ever seen, at one end of the ground. AlFighting Victory The All Blacks met and conquered Llanelly today at Stradley Park, to the -of 20,000 enthusiastic Welsh Onlookers. But they witnessed a much improved New Zealand team give an exhibition of Rugby which many have despaired of seeing from this 1935 side. New Zealand fielded as strong a side as possible, injuries taken into consideration.

An excellent pack on paper was un- , der the leadership of the skipper. Hore, Lambourn and Hadley formed L the front row, with Lambourn in the centre; Wynyard, Vorrath, King and Manchester constituting the second, [ while Mahoney brought up the rear. These forwards cannot be classed as better than the Llanelly pack, for the local men, who donned bright scarlet jerseys, were a faster though lighter set Of men of the very best type of battlers. However, the improvement in our men was remarkable and very pleas- \ -ing. They did more than hold their own. They packed quicker and in a more compact fashion. Lambourn’s hooking was equal to that of the crack Llanelly man. I would have liked to have seen Pepper playing because I think the way he follows up and battles away should earn him a place for a\l hard matches. Consistent Pair. He and King are without doubt the most consistent of our forwards. Those two. old veterans, Hadley and Hore, deserve a good deal of praise. They were always in the fore and handling well. Hadley’s tackling gave the home team’s forwards and backs alike no rest, and he repeatedly broke through with the ball at his toe. Hore played his old game of dropping the ball to his toe each time he gained possession, evidently realising that goad dribbling could gain a lot of ground against a team whose defence was not its strongest quality. Solid Tackling. King was the brightest all-rounder. In the tight and loose he was always there and he set a splendid example to the rest of the pack. Manchester can be recommended for his great handling and saving. His tackling is always of the best. Once today he stopped a certain try when the Llanelly half slipped round the scrum on the line. Manchester shot up and smothered him before he could down the ball. Both packs mixed it rather freely, but provocation came first from the Welshmen, so that our men cannot be blamed for retaliating. The Llanelly vanguard was led by Ivor Jones. I have already told you that Ivor Jones of 1930 fame played at Abertillery. I must correct that. The famous one played in the pack today, but as a quick breakaway. So quick was he out of the scrum that he was more often than not off-side. Llanelly Over-confident. However, in spite of the splendid game he played, he never bustled Sadler. Many who believe paper talk expected a walk-over for Llanelly today. In fact the team itself was overconfident. “Sweeps” were run all over Wales and many of the scores guessed in this town were 30 up in favour of the home side, almost all being against New Zealand. One billiard saloon offered a set of cues and balls to any man who could decide the exact score. I admit that I felt very down in the mouth before the match began, in anticipation of another defeat, for Llanelly lickc-d Neath the other day and Neath beat Swansea. Rise to Occasion. There is no doubt that if our men had not risen to the occasion they must have lost, for this side went

hanrimer-and-tongs for supremacy from start to finish, and, in my opinion, was a much superior team to the one that beat the All Blacks at Swansea. However, they could not cope with the defence of our backs. Sadler. Griffiths, and Oliver were veritable stonewalls, and Gilbert, slow but sure, never flinched before the fleet scarlet vanguard. His hands were sure and his kicking for the most part accurate. A drizzle fell all through the match, too, by the way. The wingers were splendid. Hart often running right round his man. Mitchell was perhaps the most enterprising—or should I say quicker—to snap up opportunieies. His participation in the first of Oliver’s two tries was even a brighter effort than that of the man who scored it. His powerful fend was ever in use and he always looked dangerous to the Home side. They both marked hard, clever, fast men, Jones on Hart’s side being the fastest and trickiest, Oliver Uncanny. Oliver has already made a name for himself over here. Today again his uncanny anticipation, his first class backing up, his lightning swiftness and his faultless handling made him the directing genius of the team. His two tries were scored, without the. assistance of the spare man bn the outside of him. The man who can pass to Hart and then run round on the outside of him to take a pass is fast indeed.

He’s the old man of the backs too and his experience helped him and the team generally a great deal. It made all the difference today that he was playing with a line of backs which had no weak- patch. For individual effort Caughey was indispensable. His try two minutes after the kick-off was as simple to him as falling off a log. It would have been the hardest thing for most players. Once Caughey is away there is no st9pping him, Again, a splendid stab kick by him and a swift passage up took him over the line in front of the red fullback, but the ball was ruled out of bounds. Praise for Caughey. Many Welsh supporters say it was not over the dead,-ball line and praise the way in which Caughey took the referee’s decision. If Griffiths keeps going in the same way he will earn a name such as Mark Nicholls earned. His defence today was wonderful. In the first half, when the All Blacks were feeling their way, his safe hands and fine kicks were ‘invaluable. Then in the second spell he opened up the game almost like an A. .E. Cooke. The right tactics are being used at last.

I liked Sadler’s play better than any. When Ivor Jones came round he varied his play to meet the situation. His passes to Griffiths were always of the finest quality and his dash round the scrum when he scored his try, outwitted Jones and the rest of the pack and backs.

He was priceless in defence, tackling like a “son-of-a-gun” and going down to the hardest stuff in the world. It was truly a fine battle. Llanelly is reputed to have more “hwyl” than any Welsh team, and “hwyl” means a number of things, including fire, dash, self-abandonment. They certainly lived up to their reputalion and I think now that our All Blacks are not a bad old team after all.

I say with the Welsh, “Fechyd Da i’r All Blacks,” Good health to the All Blacks.