FORM SHOWN IN TEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18494, 3 September 1923, Page 9

FORM SHOWN IN TEST.

; BELOW BEST STANDARDS. , N.Z. FORWARDS DOMINANT. - VISITING BACKS SMOTHERED [BY TELEOIIAPH.-rOWK: jCOEPisPOKntNT.] ;',' a CHRISTCHURCH. .B«tnrd'aV. ■'• j j The .ground should . have suited-New South Wales in their match against the All Blacks to-day, but, they were beaten by 34 points to 6, in a game that hardly interested the - public as much as such' a 'struggle .should have .done.. For . the greater part of the game, the form shown was well, below what is generally expected I of All Blacks, and it was only' when the New South' Wales, defence :had been beaten into pulp by' the smashing attacks of 'the;All,Black forwards! that play ever ! rose above,mediocrity. . - . ~. , ' ' At half time, New Zealand led' by 13 points to.o> but this did not by any means represent the •• difference, for at times the New South' Wales forwards threatened danger, and , Erasmus, tho speedy;' wingthreequarter, had bad luck in, not scoring on at least one occasion. The New Zealand forwards must be given every credit for -a. great display. They had both years and weight in their favour,, and all through a hard game, worthy : of the best traditions of Now Zealand forward play: " " " ".','/

■In Bellis there was a master wing forward, the bugbear.of the game wherever it is played/, With merciless energy,. he tackled the unfortunate opposing -backs, and it was Bellis who was the thorn in the side of the visitors until- compelled to retire in tho second spell with an injured collarbone. - Even the respected • late Dave Gallagher never gave a better exhibition than did Bel'is to-day.. His tackling, handling and straight running were always noticeable, and he. never gavo the opposing backs any rest. . ~.- Baking Taranaki. Forward. ! 'Next :to Bellis; came West, the big raking forward from Taranaki, -who was at the head, of affairs from start .to finish, dribbling, handling, and playing. generally like a real AH Black. Williams and J. Richardson also .played brilliantly,- and on the' day's play , can bo regarded, with men of the calibre of Charlie Seeling, of All Black fame. . Pringle,, a young forward from Wellington,. and Peterson, of Canterbury, who had to retire through | injury, ■ were next best. '. r -,

. A different tale . must .bo . told ,of the backs. Until the forwards hammered the opposition defence into a pulp, the New Zealand backs did ' not rise. to - the occasion, and.; though toward the end' of the game they ' put on the scores at a g6od rate, there was no suggestion that any, with perhaps the exception •of Sinclair, tho fullback, 1 were ever up to the standard set by real All Blacks. There' was not a Jimmy Hunter nor a Bob. Deans in the, five-eighths line,. and. this fact showed! itself in very pronounced fashion until the forwards absolutely broke, down the opposing backs.' '.'■''■ '

It was not pretty .play. New. Zealand adopted its old style of giving no quarter and taking no risks, in striking contrast to the work of the losers. The former were out for,keeps and won by more than they ■deserved. , . .-< ''"-,'."■

McCarthy, at halfback, did all that -was asked of him,, with low,, swift passed and at times'a jerky run that opened great scoring chances, but Bell and Perry were both guilty of missing passes as no highclass- piayer should have done. Perry and Bell -toward the end made some good runs, and the latter, a very hard player, tackled "and 1 dashed through like a chamj pion. "' ' ,: '-'' ■' "•' - ' ■" Lucas Has Few Chances. ' ' Ford, "who started as wing-thrcequaiier, quickly found his match in Erasmus, the ,13-stone wingrthreequarter, and his efforts at tackling in the first ten minutes were feeble in the extreme. He had 4 to leave tho fiflld, and then.Lucas, who had been playing centre, took his place. The' Aucklander tackled in good style, but had no scoring chances until - well on •in 'the game, when he showed a fine.burst of speed and : knowledge of how .tc* score tries.- ' The Aucklander will do better as he* plays in good company. '" Potaka and Peina were both f brilliant but hardly solid when the pinch came. - Sinclair, at fullback, was the best back ; on the ground, hardly making a mistake all' day. His kicking and tackling were worthy of the. : very Taest traditions. Erasmus, the New, South Wales wing, is a dangerous man, and his. try was 4 the result of a brilliant effort at the end of .a'.passing, rush. " - His great, weight and speed were factors in . his success. ' He is as plucky a man as; ever donned- a jersey and usually he was tackled by a New ..Zealand forward and not by the backs. Maybe he is'a bit inexperienced, but has. the makings "of : ; a' very great player.... ...... ' ■ Sheehan,: the captain, is really a lightweight, but a solid, heady player, who "mariv "times during the " game 'severely tested the, New, Zealand defence with his snappy, straight runs. George and Stanley also pleased on < occasions, but Bellis paid them tod much attention, and, with a* couple of-flying tackles took the .wind out of their sails. > ' ■ '■ ;

': Plucky Blue Halfback. Maingay,; at-halfback,- proved a great check 'oh'rushes'** and'did. not let up all; through the 'game, opening up the play and taking rushes such as no New Zealander would think of doing. Nothling, at fullback, though still a good player, mishandled too often, but in a heavy afternoon's work, his display can be counted as good. His goal kicking .was weak and he missed-several easy opportunities, .of -scoring.. His... tackling was beautiful. .'„„,. ~ , '--'■ Of the forwards,; Elliott was always in the picture, mixing it with the heavy New Zealand forwards in the best style. i With Davis, Thorn and Marrott, he j headed many a forward rush, but. the ! tendency to kick .too hard and the inclina- ! tiou to pick up the ball were ' altogether too strpng. .• -:■:'. ~.,,£ l - ii Ford twisted an ankle in the first spelJ, Peterson received a kick on the knee, and Bellis cracked a collarbone.'