THE AIL BLACKS

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12074, 27 February 1925, Page 9

THE AIL BLACKS

DEFEAT OF FRANCE THE CROWNING VICTORY FRENCHMEN PLAY GAMELY. NEW ZEALAND BACKS PASS beautifully. Fr6m tho “Times” Speoial Correspondent with the All Blacks). LONDON, January IS. “The champion Rugby footballers ot the -world”—as one enthusiastic Gallio scribe described the All Black®, brought their European tour to a triumphant ending at Toulouse last Sunday by administering a decesivo beating by three goals and fire tries (30 ‘points) to two tries (6 points) to a team presumed to he the best that France could-put into the field. It was, at any rate, not labelled “Steleotion Fnancaise,” as mas that which the All Blacks beat at Colombes the preceding Sunday; indeed, only four of that noble army of martyrs to French Rugby ambitions figured id the Toulouse team, to'Trit, Du Manoir, at half, Hallet; at three-quarter’a, and Laurent and Marcel, in the pack. Though the respective scores at Golotnbes and ToUlouse might not suggest it, the changes in the French fif teen made for abetter team, and had the - Frenchmen enjoyed opportunities for playing together as a team a few times before they met their redoubtable adversaries, there is no knowing what might hare: happened. - As it was, the game was no picnic for the New Zealanders, who,, though they piled up points,, had to fight hard for every one of them. ' COMBINATION TELLS.

The All Blacks’ opponents; indeed, played a very fine game, and despite the large margin by which they lost, there were quite- long periods during the match, and particularly for the first quarter of an' hour of the second half, in which .they fußy *held ...their own, and they never gave up the struggle. Onc> -tgpin the superior backing up and hotter understanding of the All Blacks enabled them -to win easily a game, in which they,. Were terrisonally the obviously. sppericir Witte only during 1 'the final 20 minutes: This time the French scrummage, packing 3-4 with Rioussa acting as rover, secured possession rather more often than not, and the forwards throughout: displayed the greatest energy in the open, and stock manfully to their heavy teak. In this respect they were much better than the pack at Oolontbes, but their efforts, whether offensive or defeature, tended to, be*. individualistic rather (than oolleotave, added to which the Near Zeeland front rankers, who are all in fine form, made affective use of their superior physical strength, especially whenever the French tried the high tadde. FINE FRENCH FORWARDS. What decided the issue «o emphatically in favour of' the visitors waa their pace, their refusal to stop until they neie “nailed down.” Of. Course, their understanding was great, as_indeed, it should ibe m a team whicb has played'to long together. Repeatedly the faults of one nan were atoned for by another, and as quick as lightning. There were momenta when the crowd were obviously amused by the rapid-

ity with which the New Zealanders, began and completed this and that movement. Forward, I thought the Frenchmen were just as good as the opposing pack, except in the matter of physical power and speed. The French forward play was, indeed, a revelation, for this has usually been their weak department. Both French tries were scored by forwards, and there the direct outcome of forward offensives, which gained fully 50 yards of ground in both cases. Individually, none of the eight played a better all-round game than Cassoyet, hut, in the open, Ribere was conspicuous, and Bioussa, though obviously, lacking experience in the role of rover, very often “messed up” Porter, who was in consequence not so prominent as he was at Colombea. BEST OF THE PLAYERS. As regards the French players generally, I would especially mention Oumanoir. He is far from being a giant, but he is a well-knit, stocky fellow, and as game as a pebble,. Ha went down to the forwards like a hero, made openings for his three-quarters in plenty, and. his touch-finding was a great help to his side. Piteu, who worked the scrum, did not do badly at all. As a matter of fact, if the French three-quarters had responded to all the: calls of their halves, France would probably have produced a result that would have been surprising in its closeness. Jaurreguy —probably one of the fastest men in the Rugby world—-did not Bhine. He was for the most part “starved,” and got few opportunities to make use of his great speed. Moreover, early in the second half .he collided heavily with Nepia, and, being. rather frail in build, had not the beat ‘ of. the argument. Baillette, I thought, was the best and most effective of the home three-quarters. But the forwards, together with Dumanoir, were, for. practical purposes, largely the French team. Had it not heed for their tenacity and determination to “do or die,” France might easily have provided the All Blacks with their record score. '* NEW ZEALAND’S “HEROES.” Personally I am not in the habit of ahoWering praises on individual New 'Zealanders, for 1 recognise that, in nine cases out of ten, in a team so full of understanding as the All Blacks, it iB Very often the work of the m-eonspiolibufl-player that gives “A” or ‘iß” his chance to snine; and, also, it is very often that the player who is “not so impressive as- usual - • Mas subordinated his own desires for the good of the tealh. However, let my old friend Mir Owen, of “The Times,” have his Say in this matter, merely remark log that he" apparently has a pecuhav penchant for Nicholls and Cooke, ana admitting tliat if his ogmion was cnallenged 1 should. feeT bouScl to side with him, Save in the matter of Napia, who had had three days in bed with a chill, and seemed to me “off” in the matter of touch-finding, though safe:as houses when it came to tackling. Ho says: “Richardson was the finest forward.on the” field, and his splendid display crowned a long series of performances on his part during the tour which nave maintained a truly remarkable average of excellence. M. J. Brownlie, though not 'so much in the limelight as at Pafis, tfas also, as usual, most dangerous to the opposition. . NICHOLLS AND COOKE. “Behind the forwards, Nicholls, besides demonstrating on several occasions, his superb touch-kicking, showed, as ever, his "coolness "and consummate judgment in all circumstances. His understanding with Cooke, who was absolutely invaluable to hie side in defence. besides being as thrustM as useful in attack, w&s once again one

of the principal factors in the suocess of his side; but Lucas, on the other hand, did not produce anythink like bis form of the previous week, and though Svenson and Steel, on the wings, were quite sound, it cannot be said that the three-quarter line as a whole was especially impressive. Nepia, though given much less rope by his opponents, was much better than at Colambes, and gave an almost faultless display.”

UNRULY CROWDS CAVALRY HELD THE POLICE, FRANCE RUGBY-MAD. As at Colombes, glorious sunshine favoured the match, which aroused enormous interest throughout Rugby-mad South-Western France. Over 30,000 spectators managed to paok themselves into the ground of the State Toulousain, the champion club of France for the last three years. All the morning special trains had’ been pouring people into Toulouse, and every coign cf vantage, both inside and outside the ground, was occupied some considerable time before the kick-off, which was delayed fully 20 minutes. The takings amounted to 328,000 francs, easily constituting a record for any match played in the French provinces, and will be practically so much profit to the French Rugby Union, which covered their heavy expenses of the New Zealanders’ visit to France with the receipts at Colombes last Sunday. The game was not only one to remember, it was an occasion too big for those responsible for its eood government. The ground, though a fine one, and a monument to the popularity of Rugby in these parts, Was all too inadequate in accommodation. There was tremendous crushing, and more than mild' fighting, for places. The ground is supposed to hold only 22,000 spectators, hut at least 30,000 tried to get a view of the match, and such was- the congestion that the cavalry had to be called out to help the gendarmes control the multitude. The organisation certainly more or less broke down, and we hd the curious specele of the All Blacks clambering over the barricades in order to reach their dressing-room. Thousands, were unable to gain admittance, and when the teame lined up spectators were lying along the touchline, and several times the players were hindered, and once the referee stopped the game while the line was cleared. It is estimated that mare than 50,000 people arrive dat Toulouse from the surrounding towns and villages, and that at least 10,000 people walked the streets of Toulouse all 'night. The station was fille dwith sleeping enthusiasts, and there was not a vacant bed in the town.

THE GAME FRENCHMEN LIKE DEMONS. The Frenchmen had a strong sun in their eyes tq begin with, and this naturally interfered somewhat with their fielding of the ball, but, as usual, they began like demons, and ‘Nepia had twice to tackle Piteu and puinanoir near the New Zealand ‘ line. The game was very fast the first fifteen minutes, the hall being first in one half and then the other in a spectacular series of passing bouts. After two attacks, in which Steel and Nicholls were, prominent, Porter- opened the score for the New Zealanders behind the posts, but the place kick failed. The Frenchmen : were almost . in directly afterwards, but Halet missed a short pass, and so. spoilt a most promising movement of the three-quar-

ters. Then came a splendid counterattack initiated by Lucas and carried on by Maurice Brownlie, Richardson, and Cooke. The attack was momentarily held up, hut Cooke kicked through, and so sent in Steel for the second try. Nicholls this time kicked a splendid goal. Franoe continued to have quite as much of the game territorily as the All Blacks, but lacked finish against a very sound defenoe.

POOR PLACE-KIOKING. The New Zealand forwards were now haying most of the game, but France twice came near to scoring, first when Jaurrcgny was tackled by steel within a yard of the line, and then when Ballarin missed by inches with a beautiful long-range drop at goal. More New Zealand scores followed. Cooke made a fine opening in the centre of the field and sent Svenson over, and then White was in after a long run near the touch line; aud on the opposite side of the field Richardson made a great run through the French defence and touched' down. Although the home side were constantly reaching the New Zealand 25, they kbat up against a very fine de- ■ fence, and in hreaks-away the visitors attack was full of sting. The Frenob had really deserved to score, but it was plain that the glare of the sun in their eyes vvas a big handicap to them. At half-time the game appeared to be “all over bar shouting,” for the All Blacks led by 17 points to nil, and should have been at least 23 points up ■had the place-kicking been up to Nicholls’s usual standard. FRANCE SCORES TWICE. The second half started in dramatic fashion, the . French forwards, amid great enthusiasm, rushing off and pressing the All Blacks severely. In the course of the first five minutes they twice crossed the All Blacks’ line, and on both occasions the tries were the work of the sterling French forwards, particularly Ribere and Oasseyet, each of whom soored. Neither try was converted, . hut this rapid scoring by the home side put the All Blacks fairly on their mettle. They attacked with great vigour, but the French forwards relieved again and again with brilliant rushes. It was all very thrilling, for the New Zealanders were now playing magnificent football, passing and repassing in great style for 20 minutes. Then their efforts were rewarded, Irvine crossing the line after a long rush in which practically the whole team collaborated. This time the placekick was successful. “WELL DONE, FRANCE!” Ohilo’s task in meeting this attack was hopeless. He had to try to mark no / fewer than four men. The All Blacks were now right on top of the game, and pressed hard. Jaurreguy came out with a. magnificent tackle, which saved a certain try, but the All Blacks were quickly attacking again, and Cooke, intercepting a pass during a Spectabular French attack, dodged through for the last try of the match. The goal was kicked, bringing the filial eoore to three goals and five tries to tWo tries. It was one of the best Rugby games ever seen in Franco, Though uncommonly fast from beginning to end, the Frenchmen went through it at top j pressure without a breather, and finished strongly. It was, indeed, most creditable to France that they held the All Blacks so well, and had such a large share of the game, and it speaks well for their prospeota in the other international matches to be played this season. I must not finish my. story without : paying a small tribute to Major H. E Wilkins, of London, whs refereed to the entire satisfaction of “we poor critics” in the presß box, and, I believe, ik> that, of the thirty players. Rut ,he did not please everybody, and was ' frequently “barracked,” cries ‘ equivalent to the Britannic. “Chuck ’im- aht” '•sing quite frequently yelled at him, loupled with' “cat-calls,” hoots, and POOS. THE TEAMS. . Franoe.—Chile (Racing dub), fullback; Jaurreguy (Stade FranCais) Bel-i-arm (Stade Tarßes), Baillette (Perpigjuan), and Hallet (Strasburg), threequarters; Du Manoir (Racing Club) and Piteu (Toulouse Olympiqueb halfbacks; Oassayeib (Narbonne), Bioussa (State Toulousian), Ribere (Perpignan), Montado (Perpignan)', Maury (Stade Toulousian), Marce-t (Albi), Laurent (Aviron ■ Bayonnais), f and Boubee (Agen), forwards. New Zealand,—-Nepia, full-back; Svenson, Lucas, and Steel, three-quar-ters; Nicholls and Cooke, five-eighths; Mill and Porter (captain), half-backs; Donald, Irvine, M. J. Brownlie, Masters, C. Brownlie, White, and Richardson, forwards.

Referee, Major H. E, B. Wilkins.