FIRST TRAINING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22225, 27 September 1935, Page 15

FIRST TRAINING

A STRENUOUS OUTING FORWARDS AND BACKS PLENTY OF HARD WORK BY E. N. GKEATORBX, Australian and New South Wales Rugby Representative. NEWTON ABBOT, Sept. 6 A crowd of people who gathered at the football ground this morning to see the 1935 All Blacks train for the first time in England were amazed at the amount of hard work the players did before Mr. Meredith, the manager, told them that they had had enough for the day. Though it was a particularly hot autumn day, the All Blacks trained strenuously for nearly an hour and a-half without a respite.

They showed tho onlookers that thoy aro apparently anxious to bo in good condition for the opening game against Devon and Cornwall at Dcvonport. Most people thought that tho players would bo satisfied with physical culture, and a little "light work." Most of the critics were of the opinion that tho visitors overdid it, for it must be remembered that it was the first time they h/id been on a football field for over six weeks, and had not recovered from three rather hectic days in London.

Mr. Meredith, however, called a halt when he saw that some of tho men were feeling the strain, and after they had had a rub-down and dressed tho players said they felt "much better" as a result of the work they had done. A Necessary Warning

The footballers did about everything it is possible to do at training. They sprinted up and down the field; they practised passing, kicking, marking; they tried out movements, and the forwards devoted over half an hour to scrum work. Eager to get going right away, some of the backs started racing at full speed as soon as they got on to the ground. They were restrained by "Charlie" Oliver, the team's vice-cap-tain, who had chargo of the back line. Oliver is an old campaigner, and he knows how easy it is to "pull a muscle" by starting off with fast running before "warming up." Mr. Meredith took charge of the forwards, and how he did make the pobr fellows work! The players soon felt the heat, and within a few minutes the big chaps were pouring with perspiration. After one or two runs across the field with the ball at toe some of the forwards were gasping for breath, and were finding it extremely difficult to keep going. The manager, however, did not take pity on them. When it came to scrum practice, one pqck of forwards went down in English formation {3 —2 —3), while the others formed a 3 —4—l scrum. No definite announcement has been made, but it is anticipated that the New Zealanders will pack 3—4—l throughout tho tour. At the first practice, McLean, who has been described in tho English press as one of tho loose forwards of tho side, put tho ball in tho scrum, as did tho wing-forward of the 1924 side. Corner and Caughey Erom this somo of the onlookers came to the conclusion that tho All Blacks mav play only seven men in the scrum, with the odd man as rover. The reason, however, why McLean put the ball in instead of the half was-that-Mr. Meredith wanted the half behind the scrum to send out quick passes to the five-eighths. A great deal of time was spent in practising the reverse pass. Every time tho ball was heeled to Corner it went straight out to Page, who, after running only a few yards, sent it back to tho forwards. The forwards bunched together in typical Now Zealand style and raced downfield, passing the ball from one to the other. Gilbert, who has tho reputation of being the team's best place kick, did a lot of goal kicking, but ho was rather erratic. Among the backs who were most impressive in tho first practice run were Page. Corner, Solomon, Hart and Caughey. Their handling was very sure, and they showed surprising speed for their first outing in England. Corner - and Caughey were particularly noticeable, especially in the way they shot off the mark, and in taking the ball. No matter how the ball came to him, Corner gathered it in, and gave excellent passes. All things considered, the All Blacks made ft good showing, and Rugby writers who were looking on seemed impressed. Some of the forwards have put on weight as a result of the long sea trip, but with the sort of training they did this morning it should not be long before they are in first-class playing condition.