The New Zealand Team.

NZ Truth, Issue 104, 15 June 1907, Page 3

The New Zealand Team.

tfobociy wjll deny the fact that the jseftctorsVdf' the New Zealand Rugby Union have" chosen a capital combinatfon—back and forward— to cross the fTasman next month, 1 though diverse opinions will 'probably be expressed as to whether it is really the best that could be got together to oppose the elect of the Rugby cham-, iiians m N.S..W. and Queensland, The rearguard . has a "good blending" of solid defence, with strong attaching power though m the latter respect ft falls short of the capabilities of the "All Black" team, which possessed such greyhound three-quarters as Smith and McGregor. Speed, aided feji cleverness, is tfcs .aU-iflap.orl;»at;

factor m the try-getting line, and . the absence of these great Rugby sprinters must m a great measure be missed by the New Zealanders, should the defence of the Commonwealth representatives be weakened or slackened at any period of the game. Taking a" line through the performances of the New Zealanders m Sydney and Brisbane four years ago one is constrained to express -regret that the 1907 team is minus ther ' services of such brilliant and dashing backs, both of whom were full of the tricks of the trade, and m McGregor's case especially would go over the opposing chalk-mark when no other player, m the colony could successfully essay the feat m the same circumstances. Smith's non-inclusion has caused a mild sensation m colonial Rugby circles, as Auckland critics have. made it clearly known that he has been playing right at the top of his form m club matches to date. Anyhow, the insniring influence of these two men, when the ball is flying about m the home team's quarters would,, from our standpoint, make for its strengthening m attacking work, and a strong aggressive rearguard is always '" the fcest safeguard against encroachments by the other side. , The present New Zealand team will be a formidable division to break through, as all are good tacklers and sure stoppers. It is versatile m this Way that most of them can be shifted about as circumstances demand. Spencer has gained his New Zealand cap for the first time, and local admirers of the Melrose Club representative are pleased at his getting there. So is the writer for the matter of that, and he is of opinion that) before the. tour is over George will have justified his selection. He will probably find the Australian vanguard less difficult to check than their New Zealand rivals, but the faster grounds may nonpluss i him' for a time. The team, however, is rich m full-backs," for Wallace and Gillett could fill the roll if called, upon', and .their ability to do so needs no recapitulation at the hands of the ■ writer. . - We'llin-gftoivians took Mitchinston's selection as a matter of course^; and oh present form the Poneke.lad' has few superiors as a, 'Centre-threequarter , iri the colony. I tbjak.y however, Mitchinson could carve out greater fame for himself if installed ,as outside fiveettj^vfeh. Fryer aaid Dive are- smart young players—and Eclcho-id has bean cracked up. 'by the •■ Bunedin press for the solidity of his defence and nippiness m attacli—durmp; . the currency of the present sieason. Colenian is a player of the useful tvne, who can play equally well on the wing as at foalf, or m the threeciuarter line. If Gillet is knoqked out of timei or his services are Required as custodian of the goal posts, Coleman can' keep guard oh the fringe, of the scrum. Roberts, Hunter, and , -Mynott were regarded as certainties for the team, and their inclusion tends to give the rearguard the famous "AH' Black" combination*., The v New Zealand backs are l not;, likely to get out of the correct tion when the game is moving briskly towards .opposing territory, and the "All Black" lesson will probably be emphasised that it is better for the whole fifteen to •be m at the death -than' three or four of the side. For. resoiircefulness, alertness, soundness, nippiness, instinct, smartness, and all-round knowledge, the black rearguard' should take a power of beating.. It is not a mechanical combination, but one m which the spectator will discover that its members have .sufficient cuteness to throw orthodox Rugby to the wind, and engineer schemes m a trice for the discomforturc of their opponents. ••■; ; There is plenty oi . versatility: and übi,q,u«ity ; m New Zealand's backdivir sioo, asud one can .rely upon its plugging m stolidly --aiid strenuously, bright exemplars of the unorthodox in} a game of wha-csh we are told' so, often by many critics', that system is the key of success. The writer looks confidently, to the .'backs playing! fchsdi: part well' on. tour and muzzling „ the" opposition' m any daring attack that may be- made upon its' chalk- i mark. When Hunter,. Wallace, Mit- ! ohinson and Company get on the | move m a passing bout, the Welshmen^ and Banamalanders will have something to stem. We don't say our J backs are raoehorsos of the Smith or ; McGregor type, but;., 'there is sufficient turn of amonigst them to make the other side go like greased lightning to counteract their headway., , ; • As to the for-wJJ&ds, ' I am' not so , sure they will com© so welt : ; out of the struggle as did the 1903. van-' gUard, . though lat once admit ; that it will take a good pack to outplay them when once they settle down to business. "Bubsy" Tyler is not the 1 man ho was two years, ago," says an Auckland' advisor of Northern Rugby form, "and it foe seen that he is 1 getting more closely allied to th-e cart-hor&e style of forward every Saturday." My informant may be incorrec^,' tot I cannot help thinking that we have just as good hookers 'and more alert and vigorous and da-sliy, players from the younger geheratton than "Hie Aucklander. whose "star" evidently- set on that. "All Black" : tour. Tlie former-objection which I raised to Cumnirieham as lockman still holds good, and here again the selectors might have included a younger and more powerful man. who has ambition, if not quite the experience. "Grooved" players of the Tyler and Cunningham stamp want a spell sometimes, and the New .'Zealamd combination of 1907- would, me--1 thinks, have Ibeen stronger for their replacement- by other men. It would ; be rank heresy to say such things m ; Auckland, but there are. other pi ay- : ers m the ooJooiy who can fill the bill without eternally relying • upon 1 the Northern province, and the Inter Isla-rid match was- a bright exemplification of this fact. The dropping of eitJi'er Tyler or Cunningham.- or both, woultl, m the writer's :humble opinion, have been 5 m <fche interests of t«h« s comibimation selectod a few days ago ■ by Oftllaiher. Harris and Co. Pa'ton - hiag th'o reputation of b&in«: a capital > all-round scrummagier, and o' Sullivan. - is sa!d. to have played one of thu L forward jajames on the f>e>ld m > tWo late 8 T<nter-Tsland game, th'Oivgh ■ tftfi Taranalcl critics wero not' too • sweet run Ws capaMli ties th-ls season', > more one of tne.it -nuTDber averr- ; Img that there were throe or four men ; m the ffisteict" whose- claims for po- ; sltiohfi m. tli« Northern. cnmMnatlon '■ were infi-nitelv superior tn his. Fran- ■ c?s and Seelimg, so reports pay, am ! Phasing; ripht up to thr> 'VnocVpr, flnd L if th-at is so, no possible objection ; **n %$ *t&k'en' to their inclusion-: Om

[of the best loose forwards m. tfce , colony is Byxae,, and the best allround scrummager an the WeHaßgtoa Province to-day, by oxame Tom Gross, have been omitted, presumably n toaoause their claims could not be r^cei-vjed -by the selectors owing- to the N,Z, Rugby Union declaration not having been signed by the pair on the day the team was selected m Ohristohiurch. l^he "A-U Black" vanguard is the weaker for the absence of the redoubtable Petoneites. ' In George Gillett, • the selectors have probably chosen the best wioger m New Ze-a-la-nd- at the present time. He is m great condition, and his promptitude and activity, tackli-ng and harassing axtd snwybbering tactics should foe most unacceptable to the opposing rearguards. Taken as a whole, the scrummagers are weighty, and possessed of heaps of strenuous pushing power, and should prove a cohesive and workable pack m the tight Each has enough Experience, with, perhaps, the exception .of Baton and Hoga/n, to control the ball effectually when on a loose dribbling rush, but. from' what I knowi of one or two of them, they migiht lose valuable ground by getting too far forward for the hand passes, , through overanxiousness. There is fine tackling talent m the division, and expertness is to be found with either hand or 1 feet. That the most of them will be always on the fell "goes' without saying, v and their slackness is bound to be m evidence.' Though satisfied that thie scrummaging division could be made sounder,' solider,, and deadlier, I am- forced to admit that there is enough 'ginger" and venom m its ranks to make it a formittailxle. set when fitted against the forces on the other side:; It is not, perhaps, a racy division, neither is it a tor-toise-like crowd, but one that is sure to be "eyes out" and on 'the job when the whistle toots for the beginning of hostilities, m, the N.S.W. and Queensland Rugjby arenas next month. The New Zealand forward square is not likely to be ever broken up, but if that conttogency d/oes arise, we can confidently reckon on its defenders pulling ' themselves together and giving the Cornstalks and Bana/nalanders" a Roland for their Oliver. The New (Zealand backs will not have to depend entirely iipon their scrummagers' heeling, the packmen will have their possibilities on the line-out and m the open;