The New South Wales Defeat.

NZ Truth, Issue 112, 10 August 1907, Page 3

The New South Wales Defeat.

What was the Cause ? Was it Natural Causes? A Sydney Pressman Says Yes! When the New South Wales fifteen defeated the All Blacks m the second match of the present tour, a lot of New Zealandiers put on their studying caps in> an endeavor to explain tho defeat, and various were the excuses that resulted from deep thoughts that eventuated, apparently, m the stilly night. Two of the most popular impressions were (1) that our representatives had allowed the Welshmen to win m order to secure a greater gate ; (2) that certain members of the All Blacks had put their money en "tho other fellows" by way of speculation. It did not appear to strike the "fathers:' of these excuses that such explanations cast a fanworse slur on the characters of the petted and white-haired boys than did the accusation that several of the bona fide amateurs were to be included m the "Blackleg" professional team, but there are certain members of tha football-loving public, who, judging by past experiences of our touring representatives, make no secret of their belief that the defeat was 1 due to "natural causes," and m support of this view, the following . extract from the letter of a ■ New Zealand pressman now located m Sydney, is worthy of more than a pass-

ing thought.; The said journalist, " writing to a member of the fourth estate m the Empire City, says i "No wonder your boys got . beaten over here. Before the match they got loose • and played up iv two', "houses, " poured beer into the piano, and conducted themselves like a team of blackguards. Thds comes of sending a boy manager." Of course, "Truth" does not vouch for the accuracy of the pressman's statement, though it is corroborated by passengers who recently arrived from the other side. Still that reversal of form and ruth-i less defeat requires an' explanation and certainly merits an enquiry into the aforementioned accusations, especially as previous teams have been guilty of serious indiscretions when on tour. Take the case of the 1897 team, some members of which played up m Sydney and Auckland, and the result of which is now a matter of history. Coming to a later period, several members of the 1903 combination got ou,t of rein. It is still fresh m the memory of Maorilanders that the All Black team which visited Sydney before going to England were all but "snuffed out" m the second match against N.S. Wales, and only just managed to make a draw m the last minute of the game. Further, it is well known that some of the members of the team, on the eve of the match, indulged m what is vulgarly termed, "a night out." In view of the " aforementioned; occurrences , and seeing that the'^pw' Zealand Rugby Union is ati'cipling i: 'the attitude of "Ajax defying' Hifie'l^fctning" m defence of %lite r ' o>: 'nurity of sport," "Truth" wW;M 'lfke :to know if the executive 'intend^ fab' call upc« the members of -t<hfe • team 0 ,' 1 on return to Wellington, to "make a statutory declaration" to the effect that the aforemehtioned charges are false. And) i if not, why not ?