ALL-BLACKS OF 1924

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11649, 13 October 1923, Page 7

ALL-BLACKS OF 1924

PROSPECT OF FINE TEAM IMPRESSION OF N S.W. TEAM ON RECENT TOUR. INTERESTING COMMENT. Wonderful is tho most comprehensive word of tho hoys in summing up their experiences of the tour. Wonderful because of the hold the game has on the people. Wonderful the way they treat football visitors (says a writer in the Sydney “Referee,” after travelling through New Zealand with the New South Woles Rugbv players) Rugby in New Zealand has improved eince our visit in 1921. The players are all keyed! up with the prospect of selection for England next year; forwards are, if anything, bigger and more nigged and vigorous in their play, while back play, though not yet up to old standards, is much better. The forwards selected for the three tests were magnificent sets of men. Each pack averaged I4st per man, and over 6ft in height. Hawke’s Bay have a pack almost up to the same standard, and! everywhere we went we gave away over a stone per man forward. The best back division was at Auckland, where some delightful movements were executed. The sole selector and coach there, Mr Vin Meredith, candidly admitted that he had modelled his play on the showing of the Sydney ’Varsity team’s exhibition at Auckland in 1922. THE BEST BACKS. The prospects of an excellent team far the Old Country are meet promising. Sinclair is a certainty aa full-baek. The wings should be selected from Morgan, Stewart, Fcina and Lucas. Centres: V. Badeley, Pataka, and Doe Nlcholls. Five-eighths: Paewai, Ferry and Cooke.

Half-backs: 3. Mill and H. E. Nlcholls were the best seen. As to the forwards, there are about 30 available who would do honour to the silver fern. OLD PLAYERS. We were very pleased to meet W. J. (Billy) Wallace —still coaching teams at Wellington: W. J. Stead, at Invercargill, and coached the Southland team against l’s; Morrie Wood, president of the Hawke’s Bay Union, and a candidate for tho managership next year; Jimmy Dancan, at Dunedin, and proud of a bays' team which ho is looking after; George Nicholson, at Auckland on the executive there-, S. Casey, one of the front rankers of 1905 Ail Black fame: Ranji Wilson is how a selector for Wellington; Alick Takarangi is at WAnganui; W. T. Parata, who has travelled the whole of the Dominion twice over in his capacity of selector; S. 8. Dean, chairman of New Zealand R.U.; Edgar Wylie, treasurer of the N.Z R.U , accompanied th® team in its North Island programme as the N.Z. official; Harry Frost, president of the Auckland Union; Sam Wilson, president of the N.Z.R.U., Christchurch; J. McLeod. ex-president of the N.Z.R.U.; Geo. Blade, late ohairman of the N-Z-R-U.; Geo. Payne, Canterbury.R.U.; J. Prendeville, Wellington R.U.; E. MoKenrie, Wairarapa R.U., and likely to be manager of All Blacks to N.S.W. next year; George Dixon, who managed the 1905 All Slacks Home; Nell Galbraith, who managed a N.Z. team to Sydney: W. s. Glenn, M.P.. of the 1905 All Blacks, and now a member of the management committee of the N.Z.R.U.; T. 8. (Brio) Middleton, N.B. Wales cricketer, looking fit and well, and many others. FORM OF NEW SOUTH WADES. Our own play was somewhat disappointing on the whole, the hack especially never playing right up to expects, tiohs- Many fine glimpses were revealed, but were too patchy to be of great use. The forwards were grand;, though overmatched each -ame by a heavier paak. We were compelled to abandon the 3—2—B formation and clay 3—4 with a winger in order to cqju with the tactics of the opposing wing-forward ana the leniency allowed him generally by referees. We stilL secured possession, and the heeling was quicker and the half behind ready to receive the ball. I am quite convinced that a front rank of three men (experts) will always defeat one of two men (experts), though onr New Zealand friends will not admit this. Surely onr scrum work on this tour with such a light pack proves ihs case. It was only on line-oat and in loose rushes that onr forwards were defeated. INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS.

E. Nothling only revealed true form in one game, ah Hamilton (Waikato). Though he won praise from the Press, he disappointed l his comrades in his laoli of pep. Though reliable enough, he did not use bis great assets of paoe and weight to any advantage. Crakanthorp never played better than in tbe second Test, and all the way through, though palpably lame from tbe injury received in his practioe at Wellington. ho played consistently well, the odlv blot being in a dbuple of weak tackles at Lucas in Auckland. Norman Smith was showing great form when injured in the first Teat and put out of the game. It was a big loss to the- team, for bis defence was grand, end his attack sturdy and dashing. Erasmus was a thriller. He either gave his team mates a cold thrill or the opposition and orowd one to remember. It was fifty-fifty ..whether he would field the ball, but when he did he set off in characteristic style and threaded his way through in great fashion, though lacking a finishing effort. Loudon was another capable of groat things one moment, only to 'become lackadaisical and ordinary the next. On tha whole, his form was good, and with attention to combination he should be a regular member of the State team. Stanley did not live up to the reputation he won in 1921-22. He was apt to kick too much and to prop and dodge about instead of sailing forward as on other occasions. He die some fine saves, and was the soundest defender. Sheehan—patchy and brilliant, is the best summary of the skipper’s ploy. If he had received sufficient support some of his moves would have resulted in scores. Adroit aaid clever in attack, he nullified his work by defence of a negli?i'ble quantity His captainoy was good, hough he has not the football personality of AYakker Walker. Bowers was brilliant and! unreliable in turns. If his handling could become consistently reliable. Bowers should ho a sterling wing" three-quarter, for his dash, resolution and defence are good. Buntine was one of the new men to representative honour, and after a nervous start made good. Reliable in attack. ho proved the, best defender in the inside backs. More experience will develop a little dash which is lacking at present.

George played some remarkably good games, :<r d did all that was expected ofhim. The wing forwards, however, on occasions, rattled! his tactics, and caused uncertainty of action, which was detrimental to the team. Generally speaking, ho inswered all calls, defended ably, saved in front of big forwards, and backed up with the instinct of a class footballer. Mingav never played better in his career than ho did at Cbrlstchuroh in the second test. It was a masterly display. and tvpical of most of his games on tour He did some excellent serum work, and gave his backs many chances to display their wares. Trousdale and Duncan did: not have many chances of showing their best form, byt each justified his selection. THE FORWARDS. It would be difficult to choose the best forward, for each and every man proved his worth in no uncertain manner. To say that the N.S.W. forward* were never beaten is to say that, though overmatched! in stotiwe and physique,

they stack out their unequal task in heroic manner, and in the Uaerfrat play alone proved inferior to the iceman. The names off Davis, Blackwood, Erby, Elliott, Thompson, Thorn, Taylor, Marrott, Ferguson and Armstrong should be enshrined on riie scroll ctf football fame in N.S.W for the gallant efforts they made to uphold the honour of the light blue jersey against powerful forward divisions overywhore-raverago 12.7 against 13.7 and over in eyecy- case. If tbe back play had been as consistently good, and whole-hearted, the results of the tour would have been vastly different. At any rate tbey proved that N.Z., .with all their prowess and material, could not secure a monopoly of possession in the scrums. Hooker Blackwood and his supports were too good.