ALWAYS MASTERS

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12001, 2 December 1924, Page 8

ALWAYS MASTERS

ALL BLACKS AT SWANSEA REMARKABLE ENTHUSIASM OF WELSH SPECTATORS. INSPIRING SONGS. Bv Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. <Sydnev "Sun” Cable.’. LONDON, November 30. AU the world knew that the All Blacks had been waiting 19 years to avenge the historic defeat inflicted in 1903 bv Wales, and anyone seeing them enter the field at Swansea on Saturday must have felt that here were 15 champions who realised that their great day had arrived. If tho- football fervour and the religious rapture of the immense crowd produced any terrifying effect on the All Blacks they showed no symptoms of it, and they walked on to the ground as if they were unaware of the crowd’s existence. The crowd sang hvmiis ahd patriotic airs with a wonderful''iiVSikiCflT’effect, for no crowd in the world can sing like the Welsh. Their emotions reached a climax when the red jerseys of Wales came into view, and ’ they "greeted them with “Men’of Harlech, sung with extraordinary’: gusto, but which was surpassed by “Land of My Fathers,” when 50,000 people-rose and bared their heads. ife began with admirable steadiness, and soon got into their Etride. They were the masters to the end. Wale 3 gave the crowd a thrill occasionally, when their forwards swept down the field with tho ball at toe. but the AU Blacks invariably stemmed the onrush. Tke crowd encouraged the Welsh men' with other inspiring songs, sung during the progress of the game, which they alternated with epithets hurled at the All Blacks, and with hooting the referee.