SPORT AT HOME

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12021, 26 December 1924, Page 11

SPORT AT HOME

RUGBY FOOTBALL AT AN “ALL BLACK” GAMEWonderful scenes were tie order at Twickenham on Saturday, when the brilliant New Zealand Rughy ream met London before 50,000 onlooKers. So well did the home players, start, that many of the spectators, rommenc* ed to iriink: the visitors might be defeated, particularly' after their' very harrow- victory over Cambridge .University a few days- before. Brilliant work by the London forwards certainly gave the New Zealanders some anxiety, but the ' initial score was theirs. ' ’ It was Ml Brownlie, a forward, ■ who forced a 'way over the line and the try was converted. Nothing dismayed, the London players came hack in brilliant style and excellent combination kd to B-. of the London Scottish dub, being sent over for two tries-. Thus London actually led by 6 points to 5 ‘and looked* likely to add to fibe advantage. Then happened one of those soft scores which come at times. From a line-out, Brownlie was unmarked, and when the ball was thrown to his safe hanefe, ho simply had to run over the line, no one so much ns placing a hand on him. Of course the additional points were added, as he crossed under the post. It was not this bit of misfortune which put the homo aide out of it but quite another matter. On resuming after the interval,- cm might have thought a change had been made in the teams. Now it was clear that the New Zealanders were many yards faster than their rivals. It was an a case of physical fitness,' the viaitara staving on, -whilst the 'London men had shot their holt,, due t<s tlfeir greet'effqrt in thdffrst'half • In' }i<ldifibu,, M 'fpg found the weakest spot, the .London ’centre, and thereafter, they ran straight and git through by their superior speed. •During tbe-seeoßd-half of the-, game, the New Zealanders gave a- great ectshibition of how.-tp-wote, arid "a 3 leeSffii as to the- value l 6f" Speed and- oo'rte&i training. The 31 points .to 6,. further •Adwcd that' when .’thie t. visitors- are -‘s>ll I oolite, strooggefc twoo axe ijfcsiy. to demonstrates the- troth’ of-a previous remark in-tbade notes, namely, that the Nesv Zedlandare save their beat efforts for their most dangerous! rivals, being conterif tb .just -Rdri •gainst some of the weaker sijcfcs.,. ’ , THE ’WINNERS ENTERTAINED. .

The New Zealanders were ad to dinner after, the match,, when some interesting remarks were made. Mr .M. Waters, a veteran" of the Rugby wm-H, recalled the v.'jrb of the Maori team in 1888, and he also expressed the opinion that the present team was the. fastest wo had-ever seen. Mr S. S. Dean, the manager of the New Zealand team, touched the right note when expressing pride that he and the team were' members' of a great Empire, and. others also referred to the good it does . when New Zealand and South African Rugby men meet the 'Home players in a real sporting spirit. Mr Dean, by the way, thinks the Twickenham ground the best -Rugby.enolosure in the world. Turning to dub games, the Oxford Univarsity team now seems to have run into farm, as. instanced by die .33 points to S success over Harlequros on Saturday. Richmond failedljadlv when (meeting th<S R.N. Colley of Greenwich, going, down, - by- 23 points to 9,. Both clubs were, not at fall strength, however, the big match at Twickenham being reaponsible. ASSOCIATION The South African Association touring side, had .a stiff task on Saturday, •hen called cm to face a strong Corinthian team at the Crystal Palace. The heavy state of the ground seemed to bother the visitors, who were hardly quite so impressive as in some of their previous games. On the other hand, the Corinthian team now appears to be a well-balanc-ed combination and most of the players were at the top. of their form. Greek scored after ten minutes'and ft little later Taylor added another, Whilst Hartley, and Boggart were also responsible for goals. One goal rewarded the visitors. Following a miskick by one of the Corinthians, Maton made full use of an opportunity, Howard Baker, the Corinthian goalkeeper, having just come out in an effort to Intercept the ball. The reverse is ono of the heaviest the tourists hove experienced, ami pojmbly some of the players are feeling WW effects of many matches. LEAGUE FRAY Huddersfield have fared, badly since their initial defeat of the season, three other reverses having followed. Last •ear.on’s League champions had to visit Bolton on Saturday, and the ‘‘Trotscored the only goal of the match. Notts County and Birmingham, the two leaders, were both forced to remain content with single points. It was a good performance on the part of Notts County to draw against Aston Villa, no score, as every follower of Soccer well knows how hard it is to down the Villa. j Birmingham and Sheffield United i each scored once in the match on tho former’r. ground. Cardiff showed big improvement by ; scoring four goals to the one of their Bury visitors.

Tottenham also found tip tut fro-

GHATTY NOTES FROM A NEW ZEALANDER FOOTBALL, RACING, ATHLETICS, BOXING HOW THE "ALL BLACKS” IMPRESSED A new Zealander forwards some chatty notes on sport in England, in which the Rugby match between the victorious All Blacks and the London fifteen is described. This match, played at Twickenham, was remarkably well contested in the first’ half, he says, but when New Zealand'got to work in the second half it was “all over bar the shouting.” - Our correspondent touches on the League..game, Soccer, the turf, boxing, and athletics, and generally the budget of news makes a welcome contribution, particularly to those interested in sport.

quently when at home to Blackburn, scoring five times without response. 'Wins by Sunderland and West Brojnwioh,. Albion have enabled, these clitbs to draw nearer to the two leaders, The former .scored the odd goal in five when receiving Manchester CSty, whilst'the “Throstles” registered! four goals to one when at home to West Bam. This leaves Notts County and. Birmingham at the head of affairs with 20 points for 15 matches. West Bromwich Albion .‘being a point worse off, whilst Sunder land' claim .18 for 14 engagements. Notts County owe their high position largely- to great defence, as illustrated by the goal figures of! 16 for and only 7 against. GOLF George Duncan showed something like his very best form when winning a competition at West Byfleet a few days since. Ha bad rounds of 76 and 7 /, very excellent at .tins season when there is hardly any run on the ball. Duncan’s good -form" cm the eve of hik departure for another American tour with Abe Mitchell,' is opportune. A veteran golfer, in E. Blackwell showed .to advantage when leading the Suniringdale team ‘gainst Oxford University on the former’s course last Saturday. Tie beat A. R._Nall Cain, the Oxford leader.' by " 3 arid '2," and his side prevailed by 8 matches to 4. Cambridge University-also suffered defeat when visiting West Hill, the club gaming » narrow advantage hy 6. matdhes to S'." ' C. O. Hazkrt -Won-the top match for West Hill against W.' F. Pfiaraayn, but .W, E. Andersbhi evened l matters upvin iiie next on the list by' unexpectedly Beating W, ; A/Murray. ’' THE TURF ' - ‘ : 1 -t. ’■'■■■ A .(brilliant, , win by Diomedes in ,the Hurst Park Or-eat.-Two-year-olcl,, Stakes farther • strengthens - the idea- .that, tsb is, tintboaten' Son of Argos is likely 'to-have a very successful racing career. ; ■ Zionist was the fancy, but the favourite failed to geh a plaoe und Diomedea won by- two" lengths- under difib cutties" When', Starting I Be 7! §bntdhcny broke his nose bfiiid arid Jits? flapping Bit' of leather must have disturbed the. cplt. It, is a matter for regret that the'winner'win'not,have .ft chance, to gain classic honours, but be, should - Be very useful h»_ races up tp a mile, his. speed evidently Being exceptional. Per-' haps we Shall see>tee obllt {having' a cut at the Steward’s Gup and'-other events ’ wherein, ‘speed- is so-neceesary.' Tbousth Zionist failed, it 'mfiy fie that tSb AgaT?3}*ilV:col.t vklf'do better jMptfi. eeaqcfi, apG pyer a longer cqutrsQ, as he, moves .in i, way wh»oh stfegeste staying Bower., J .., " BOXING It will' afford general satisfaction, that the Amateur Boxing .Association has sanctioned 1 . the visit of a team .- of Boxers to the United 1 States • • next January, under the auspices of the Amateur Athletic Union of’ ‘America. British amateurs who have visited America speak well of their reception, and no matter how the men may fare from a competition point of view, it is safe to suggest that the exchange of visits between' good sportsmen must always lead to mutual benefit. An interesting-match at the National Sporting Club, brought Tom Berry,. of London, and Charley Ring, of Australia into opposition: They were matched to* contest fifteen rounds, arid it Went the ‘ full distance. Ring' was very gams arid strong, and Jtire as he might Derry could not put*~his man out, though he won on points. ATHLETIC.B Athletic circles, have something to ponded over through the wonderful running of Arthur, Ndwton,‘.who has twice lowered .tho record for Westminster to Brighton: within two l months. His latest effort of 5 hours 63 minutes 4 seconds for the 61 miles 1637 yards is a great advance on the professional record of 6 hours 34 minutes 50 seconds by Len’Hurst in’l9o3. Newton’s running has shown that a fit man can undertake- two big runs within a few weeks, and-this lesson should have a-marked benefit' on longdistance running - in England. NeWton did not appear to be much distressed at the end, and two days! later he finished seventh in a crosscountry face between the Thames Ears and Hounds and Charterhouse School. A good run Recently was the, win of D. G. A. Lowe in a' half-mile handicap from scratch at Cambridge. His time was ltnin 58-4-ssec; very fast going,on a heavy track and 1 at this season. • - v - I ' , Another: great half-miler in C. :R. Griffiths was racing across country when he finished eighth in a class field. The event was Surrey A.C. v. Oxford University . the ! club winning by $1 points, to.. 4- . The winners also, supplied the first man home in J-. .Wilson, who won’ the International Cross Country raoe i'ri 1920: ‘ ' The relay finals at Oxford this week suggest ’that: the. Dark Blues will have some oxpelent runners to meet the Cambridge cracks in the annual relay mooting which will shortly be contested With men like W. E, Stevenson from Amerioa, D- N. Johnson from .Canada, Hi W. Kerr from Eton ( who ran .so well when in South Africa), arid the brothers C. B. E. and V, E. Morgan available, the Oxford odours ought to be prominent. J . ■ ;>:1, .. x/rii 'i.2 —vi

ther in-field, whore one of, his teammates,. Brownlie, ,waa fortunate enough to- Be ; near ■ it,- and as the' Berkamsted men .were.:,not. tflero to stop him. he rah o ver. and scored, Nepia,. : eriperiendirig more 1 , success l than attended'-' his first miserable effort, convNtedl the try. - Little Berkamsted wore not daunted by the visitors’': latest success, -achieved, 'as it had-been,.- By "such -unorthodox and ehipshod tactics. P. K. B. Burton, who at fly-half-- had been playing an outstanding -game, iifstituted a ejMfe'ndidl passing rush, frOin halfway, and tonly a. dropped pass prevented the attack succeeding. This dropped pass,' although' of’course, quite excusable, had unfortunate effects, as Cooke,, the .visitors’ centre, snapped the Ball up and ran the' length of the field to soore. ' Nepia liiokoda goal. Some of tho speotatofsi'whire iriolined to chide the local backs .for!,not tackling Cooke, but their . failure •is . easily explained by. the , fact- that, Cooke ,at no time was within reasonable: tackling distance.’ This, surely, absolves the Little Berkamstedians from- Blame - for not tackling him, -On resuming, the local team, soon. showed * .their . mettle ■■ By -an-, other, excellent movement, which was fairly ,on the wayi to- a succesmul finish when a New Zealander took .the' ball By Intercepting, a pass, and went on'to'score. Once again Nepia failed with the kick. In passing it .may be'remarked that the Newt Zealanders’ goal-kicking throughout their tour has been'lamentably poor. In this game it afforded a poor contrast with Hie ; kickinjg'' of the 'Little l'Barkemetedians, who kieked a goal at every: opportunity given'them. (There wah, as it happened;, only’one; opportunity). TSft sterling, form of Little .Berkamsted was never so clearly manifested, ao in tho last ten.minutes of-the game, when, to the accomplaniment of prolonged cheerfrig from the spfjetators, who, -to their crqdit, recognised, the good football played. by - their launched a series. of attacks, which, had‘they been successful,would surely have .converted the-New -.Zealanderp’ victory--into ’’defeat. it was, the visitors defended 1 most flesperately, and- as every man was tackled, - Little Berkamsted were unable to score. The visitors did not attempt to retaliate, with an attack, arid from their careful demeanour, some of the spectators reooivsd the impression that the New- Zealanders- thought they had l the game in-hand. ' As it so happened, they had indeed wen, for time arrived just .as JDUfHa 'Berkamsted wflre: cbritemplating another attack. Novcrthelessj the opinion ■ is * universal that Little ' Berkamsted .did not display their true form Until the eloSe qf the.game, and bnt for this, anything might have happened.