KEENEST GAME YET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20627, 28 July 1930, Page 11

KEENEST GAME YET.

VICTORS CONGRATULATED.

BRITISH TEAM'S TRIBUTES

MANAGER PRAISES NICHOLLS

Congratulations to the New Zealand team on its victory were extended by members of tho British team at the official dinner given by the New Zealand Rugby Union in the Hotel Cargen on Saturday evening. Mr. S. S. Dean, chairman of the management committee'of the union, presided in the absence of the president, Dr. G. J. Adams.

In proposing tho toast of tho British team Mr. Dean referred to the excellent results which generally attended an interchange of football visits. "We have noticed that you play a different stylo of game from that which you played when tho All Blacks toured England in 1924," he said. "It is brighter and more open and I do not think I am boastful if I presume that our tour was of somo benefit to you. In the same way we have learned lessons from your side this year. You lost to-day, but you played tho game in a fine sporting spirit." "The game was a magnificent struggle," said Mr. James Baxter, manager of the British team, "and I think I am right in saying that tho issue was decided very largely by the genius and skill of ono to whom I have taken rny hat off before and to whom I take my hat off again. I refer to Mark Nicholls. Wo frankly admit that wo were beaten by a superior team, but as long as tho gaino is fought out in the proper spirit the result does not matter."

The main thing about Rugby was not so much tho winning or losing of a game, but the enjoyment of the game by the players, said the British captain, Mr. F. D. Prentice. If tho Now Zealand team had enjoyed the garno as much as the British team had. t.lioro was no cause for worry, lie hoped that Britain had lost at Eden Park as gracefully as it had won at Dunedin.

Proposing tho toast of tho New Zealand team, Mr. C. D. Aarvold, who led tho British team in tho test, said that tho game was the hardest, closest and cleanest of tho tour. It would have been fine to win such a game, but it was almost as fine to loss against a side such as tho New Zealand side was on tho day. A tribute to tho very sporting manner in which tho gamo had been played was paid by tho New Zealand captain, Mr. C. 0. "Porter. "The moro I meet you, tho moro sorry I am that New Zealand has defeated you," he said. "I could almost wish for drawn games." The health of tho referee, Mr. P. Hollander, was proposed by vice-captain of tho British team, Air. W. A. Sobey. "Mr. Hollander lias controlled all three test matches," he said, "and we should have to go a long way to find a more competent and impartial referee."

TEAM FOR FINAL TEST.

NO ANNOUNCEMENT MADE

VISITORS LEAVE TO-DAY.

Although it is highly iikely that the New Zealand selection committee decided on the All Black team to meet Britain in the fourth test at Wellington on August 9 before its members dispersed yesterday, no announcement was made and the team will probably ho released by the New Zealand Rugby Union some time this week: Tho Southern members of the All Black team and the selection committee left Auckland for their respective homes by train last evening. Several members of tho British team played golf yesterday. The visitors will leave for Whangaroi this morning and will play North Auckland on Wednesday. They will return to Auckland 011 Thursday, but will leave almost immediately for Hamilton, where they will meet a combined Waikato-King Country team next Saturday. It has been stated that VV. A. Sobey, the English halfback, who was injured in the first match of the tour against Wanganui, will be available for the Hamilton mutch.

GAME AT WJIANGAItEI.

THE NORTH AUCKLAND TEAM

CONTEST ON WEDNESDAY.

tin* TKLEGIXAnr.—PIJEPS ASSOCIATION.] WIIAXGAREI, Saturday.

The following will represent North Auckland in n match against the British Rugbj team at Whangarei next Wednesday :

Fullback. —Kerr (Whangarei). Threequarters—Barrich (Rodney), Mullins (Whangarei), Sellars (Kaipara). Five-eighths.—Uavies (Northern Wairoa), Ryan (Whangarei). Halfback. —McDonald (Whangarei). Rover.—Wells (Northern Wairoa). Forwards.—M. Noressey, M. Sheriff, W. Rika, M. Rika, Halstend (Whangarei), Fletcher (Kaipara), Thomas (Bay of Islands). Tho British team is due to arrive at Whangarei on Monday afternoon by the express from Auckland. On Tuesday evening the visitors will be guests at a tourney under the auspices of the Whangarei Boxing Association. On Wednesday evening the visitors have been invited to attend a ball in tho Town llall.