BADLY BEATEN

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12023, 29 December 1924, Page 7

BADLY BEATEN

LONDONERS SUCCUMB ' INTERNATIONALS WITHDRAWN. Australian and N.Z. Cable. Association (Received-December 29, 5.5 p.m.) „ ' LONDON, December 27. The .All Blaoks defeated London Counties in them second; match , which was played at Blackheath, by 28 points to three. The margin thus was the same, as in their first game against the Londoners, when the score . was SX points to six. The London team underwent many ' changes, only seven of the original selection taking, the field. ■Practically, all the internationals for the match on Saturday next, including Raymond. were withdrawn. ■THE* TEAM. Full-back;.: G. Nepia. Three-quarters: E. S. Svenson,- A. E. Cooke., J. Steal. ' Five-eighths; M. "Niuholls, N. P. McGregor: ’ Half-back: J. Mill- • i Wing-forw'ard; J. Parker. Forwards: W. R. Irvine, Q. Donald, O. Brownlie,,R. R. Masters, ,M. Brownlie. L. F* CuppleS, and J. Richardson. IN BAD WEATHER. Ten thousand spectators braved most atrocious weather. Heavy, continuous rain fell, and the ..ground' was waterlogged m places. 'The Londoners’ spotless white uniforms soon took on their opponents’ colourThe New Zealanders kicked, off against a strong, disconcerting diagonal wind. The London forwaVds, using their feet cleverly in the . loose, established an early footing in the New Zealanders’ territory, and for the first 15 minutes the AH Blacks mostly were defending, with Nicholls, Gooke, and Svenson most effective. Then Cooke broke through in the centre of the field and dribbled on to the London, ers’ line, where C. Brownlie secured, in the loose and dived across near the posts. Nicholls converted. —j New Zealand <•/., .8 London’ Counties ............. nil; PRESSED HARD. Despite numerous penalties' against the All Blaoks, the Londoners were not allowed a little respite. The New Zea- [ landers’ hacks handled the greasy ball brilliantly, and with certainty. The next score 'was sensational. Hamilton-Wicks, profiting from a slip by Svenson, ran brilliantly, right up, to Nepia. His pass went astray, and' Nicholls gathered up the ball and' passed to M. Brownlie, who ran 40 yards before’ passing to who scored unopposed between the posts. Nicholls failed to convert. New Zealand 8 , London Counties nil The’ Londoners were the . next to score. Steel slipped and. lost the ball. Which :the .fleet-footed Gibbs ; annexed and ran along the touohline to Nepia. The Englishman 1 past the full-back and scored in a corner. The kick at goal failed. New Zealand . -.8 London Counties 8 Immediately afterwards Nepia rani into a position to send the All Blacks.’ . baoks away, and the ball, went from Steel to M. Brownlie, who foroed his way across. Nicholls failed with the kick and the half-time score was: New Zealand - 11 London Counties ..v 8. , DOMINATED THE GAME.' With the assistance of-the wind in the second spell, the New Zealanders dominated the game to even a \greater extent. than hitherto. The ball was rarely out-of the Londoners’ twentyfive. : Soon after the resumption Cooke tackled the. Counties’ full-hack while in possession of , the ball, - and Svenson, who was backing up, paved the way for C. Brownlie to score. Nicholls s kick bit the post and rebounded. Within a few minutes C. Brownlie repeated his performance after a brilliant run by Svenson, and Nicholls again failed to pilot the heavy, slippery bah between the posts. • . New Zealand.. 17 London Counties ............ 3 From ’ now' on the New Zealanders took complete control of the game, giving a magnificent demonstration of wet weather football. Three more tries were scored in quiok succession, Parker ran across from a scrum uear the line,. Nepia just ifailing ifl a great offort to convert, and the (ball striking the post. \ ■ RAPID SOOKONG. Richardson was the next scorer, and his try was converted by Nicholls. Irvine completed the New- Zealanders tally, crossing . .from a scramble .near the line. Nicholls failed with the kick. There were numerous other scoring chances which were nullified by uncertain handling. Nevertheless the Passing of the hacks and forwards alikereached a high standard of excellence, completely demoralising their oppoHaving regard to the conditions, which were the worst that, the tourists have yet experienced, was an excellent game pronouncedly in the New Zealanders’ favour. Their forwards were all brilliant, with the Brownlies, Richardson, Donald, and Irvine the most conspicuous. Svenson and Cooke ■were in ‘magnificent form, and Nicholls’s play demonstrated _ that he has lost nothing of his versatility during his enforced spell*. Nepia .performed a very easy task with his customary soundness. 1% is interesting to note

that the New Zealanders’ eight tries were all scored by the forwards, ' and that both the front-row men succeeded in crossing their opponents’ line. A message received before the match stated that the team' was in excellent fettle, except Stewart, who had slight quinsy. : Shoals of messages from New Zealand had been received wishing the team success. Many people considered that the matoh would be as hard as that against England. After the match, the team was to return to Deal to, complete its preparation for the international game . next Saturday. . ,' THEORY EXPLODER TRIUMPH OS’ GENIUS. Australian and ,N.Z. Cable Association (Received December 28, 11.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 28. The “Observer” says that the All Blacks’ victory has exploded the old theory that wet conditions would hamper the New Zealanders’ attack. Long before half"-time the visitors were,'covered ; with mud so that friend' and foe . alike were, indistinguishable, yet the New Zealanders’ genilis triumphed over all handicaps. 1924 TOUR RESULTS AND Following are the redujta to' data (with scores of 1905 team for purposes of comparison) and matches to be placed by the All Blacks:— -

• ‘ MATCHES TO. PLAY. Jan. England, 'at Twickenham. Jan; franco, at Paris. . Jan. ilßtk#-*ir. A French fifteen, at Paris. THE SCORERS. Other “Player. Tries. Conv. goals. PotA Tl.

Devon (W) 1924. 11—0 1905. 55—4 Cornwall (W) 29-0 41—0 Somerset \W) ... ft—0., 23—0 Gloucester (W) ... 6—0 44—0 Swansea (W) ...... 39—3 *4—3 - Newport (W) 13-10 *6—a Leicester (W) 27—0 28—eO N. Midlands' (W ) 40—3 21—5 Cheshire CWi ...... 18—5. 34—0 Durham. (W) ... 43—7 16—3 Yorkshire (W) ... 42—4 40—0 .Lancashire CW) ... 2S—0 . —• Cumberland (W) 41—0 — ' Ireland (W) 6-0 15-^-Q Ulster (W) 28—8 —S' Northumberland Cambridge TJniv. <W.) 27—4 31—0 6—0 14-0 London Counties (VV) ............ 31—ft .1— ' Oxford Uhiv. 38—15 (W.) ....: 47—0 Cardiff (W.) 16—8 10—8 Wales (W) ......... 19—0 0—3 Llanelly (W) ...... 8—3 — it’ast Midlands ( W) Si—7 — Warwickshire (W) 20—0 LComibined Ser25 —i vices (W ) ...... _ ' Hampshire (W) ... 22—0 — ' London Counties (W) 28—3 Aggregate scores after the 27th match 1903—801 points for, 22 against. 1924—637 points for, 87 against.

\Nichblls 2 SI 3 94 Nepia 0 ' 27 . 0 66 Hart 18 Steel . 16 Cook© ,...16 Svonson 14 1 ;'o 0 0 0 2 56 48 48 42 "Parker :. 14 Mill 9 0 '7. 0 0 0 0 0 42 S3 21 Xucas .: 7 M.-Brownlie ... 7 0 0 0 .0 0 21 21. Kiioiiarclson ...... 7 0 0 21 Brown 5 2 0 0 .9 Irvine 8 0 0 18 ’C. Brownlie ... 6 0 18 MoGregor 5 Donald *4 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 12 Porter 3 0 0 0 9 .Masters ... 3 0 0 0 9 Stewart 2 .. 0 0 0 Cupples 1 0 West 1 0 Robilliard 1 0 s* 3 Paewai 1 0 0 , 0 3 Tbtal 152 71 , 9 3 082