RUGBY FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20303, 10 July 1929, Page 15

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

DEFEAT OF ALL BLACKS

RECORDS or' TEST MATCHES

Tl I HL.I:. WINS TO AUSTRALIA

All In >ul;!i a good uiaiiv people were disPjipniiiled ovei ilit' dete.it of lhe All lacks in the liist test mulch m Sydney l <:> t Saturday the v lo Australia u j|| !„• begrudged. Il wd! do a lot

I for football over there, nion:

i.:ii liculai ly in Queensland, and no doubt in Victoria.

N'cw Zealand teams hold .1 wonderlul

record in test matches against Australia, !•, of the la games played the All [Slacks have lost only three, and one was diawn. 'I lie New Zealand teams ol lti(j-l. RS93, 3397, 1906, 15'20. 1922, 1921 and 192G ( ii,l not play tests a;aiust Australia. The following records show how the other teams tared : 1905. -Won, 22 •> li)o7."A\on, 26—b; won. CI- -5; drawn, 0- -5. 1910. - Won, b~-0; lost, 0 28---15. 1914. Won. s—o; won, 17—0; won, Australian teams toured New Zealand In 1905 and 1915 an:' fared as follows in test games: — 1905. Lost, 3—14. 3913. Lost. 5—50; lost, 13—25; won, 16-0 Capabilities of All Blacks. Opinions ot Australian newspaper Ci'it:.\s are somewhat divided regarding Ihe capabilities of the present New Zea--1 uid team, and it has been compared most unfavourably with previous combinations. It must be realised, however, thai Saturday's team was not the best that could be selected from the party « \cr there. The absence of Dalley and Porter was bad enough, and then Nepia's detection in the second spell would have a certain moral elfeet. The broadcast report was interesting to listen to and, judging by that, the All 11lacks had very had luck. The announcer became excited when the All lllacks looked likely to score twice near the cud of the game. "Oliver is over; no, In- passed deliberately forward," came the announcer's shrieking voice at one stage. .1:. is diliienlt. to understand a player doing such a thing deliberately and thereby throwing away a try.

The All Blacks will have another hard match to-day, when they will play New South Wales for a second time. The previous match, which opened the tour, was played in rain on a heavy ground and resulted in a draw, with no score on rither side. After today's pamo the New Zealaiidcrs will go to Melbourne to plav Victoria on Saturday. Three Victorian players, A. A. Edwards. ("J. S. Sturtridge and (J. Cowper, were selected to go into training in Svdnev in view of the test matches against thi. ,\U Blacks. None of tho three was included in the first Australian test team list Saturday. Club Football Standard.

The standard of club football judged on recent matches appears to have fallen off a little. The principal fixture between (I ram mar Old Boys and Training College last Saturday did uot provide any sparkling plav until t ho lust quarter. Up to this stage Training College had tho better i.i the play, but then the Grammar forwards took" a hand and revealed something like their true form.

Ponsonby had a hard time to avert defeat at the hands of Technical Old Boys, and the leaders were much below their usual high standard.- It" Ponsonby does not show improved form in the matches to be played it will conic as no surprise to see it go down to teams much lower on the championship table. After the manner in which College Rifles stood up to University on Saturday this team is quite capable "of springing surprises, even against the leading teams. There are quite a number of Rugby enthusiasts who hold the belief that there is more open plav in Auckland club football than anywhere else in New Zealand. Kveu allowing for tho imaginary line rule this is a mistaken idea. In other centres where the imaginary line is unknown the plav is just as bright and interesting. W hat is more, the halfbacks have to be much more alert and tho breakaway forwards do not have to undergo special tuition before a representative match. Next Representative Match.

The Auckland team's next representative fixture will be played at Eden Park against Waikato on August 3. Tho inside hacks problem docs not appear to have become easier with the progress of tho competition. It. is likely several changes will be made in the team which represented Auckland at Hamilton on June 3, and it will not. be surprising if Rush, the UniVersitv custodial!, is given a trial at centre.

A Christehureh critic says the admission of two new teams into tho senior competition there has tended to lower the standard of play, and some teams which had easy games early found it liarrl to strike their true form.

The Sage Memorial Cup competition in Hamilton has reached an exceedingly interesting stage, and the premiership rests between the two leading teams, Maris! and Old Boys A. The final game will not be played until after the return of the Waikato team from its Southern tour. 1 eehnieal and City, each with 10 points, are next in the competition. '1 hey arc followed by Frank ton, 8 points, and Old Boys B, 2 points. At the beginning of the season it appeared Old Boys A was easily the strongest, side in the competition. However the loss of J. Tuck, and » series of injuries suffered by prominent members of the team, weakened its playing .strength.

AUCKLAND IfUdBY FIFTEEN

another team suggested,

\Vf»u!<] i,rj selectors are busy picking what they regard as the host Kugby team to represent Auckland this season, "C;irhine," Kop.-iki, forwards his choice as follows:Full I <• k. I !ul !oi. 'I hrerquai ters. Abbott, Lucas, Minns. I' ivr eighths.—Camniiek, Weir. Halfback. - Mae. I lover. - Soloum mi. Forwards.— F'lutchei, lladley, liattv, fillheart, Knight, L. Knight, AuderSon. ' Kiiirrgeiieje.s. --1!. Hook, IJerridge. L'orfii"', I*og;ij'i v, Wanoa.

DEATH OF CKICKETER

HAD TOURED NEW ZEALAND. •Mr. .John Stanning. who was killed in a motor accident in Kenya Colony, South Africa, on May 19. at 'the age of 51 years, was a well-known English cricketer. He was a member of Lord ilawke s.team, which toured New Zealand in 1G023 Unde.' the captaincy of I*. I'. Warner. In the match against Auckland Standing scored 33. being howled by Stem son. England won both tho test matches played on that occasion, tho first in fhristrhurch by seven wickets and tho second in Wellington by an innings and 22 runs. Stanning hail an innings in each match, scoring 27 and 22. Stanning's county cricket in Kngland played chiefly for Lancashire, a!Aboueh he. also appeaiod for Choshirc.