THE VICTORIOUS ALL BLACKS STILL UNBEATEN

NZ Truth, Issue 1035, 26 September 1925, Page 11

THE VICTORIOUS ALL BLACKS STILL UNBEATEN

No Trouble In Defeating New South Wales

Superman-Team With a Brilliant Set of Backs

THE FINEST GAME SEEN ON EDEN PARK BEFORE AN : - ATTENDANCE OF OVER 20,000

AUCKLAND, despite the vagaries of the weather, rolled up m strong force to see the meeting of NEW SOUTH WALES & NEW ZEALAND giants on Saturday last. The attendance was over 20,000 and something m the vicinity of £1760 was taken at the gates. Undoubtedly the public got good value for their money the game being more than worth while. Coming with the reputation of being great offsiders, spectators were looking forward to a lot of whistle blowing, but were not at all disappointed that the premises formed by opinions from elsewhere were totally at variance with the conditions as shown. •

That is not to say there were no penalties given for this during the game, but they were not more frequent than is usually seen m any big match, and the visitors wei*e no worse than the All Blacks. That they play sparkling football under ordinary circumstances can be well imagined, but when up against such a formidable pack as the All Blacks it was natural to suppose the bright play wouldr suffer, somewhat, and this is just what did happen. Thoygh the greater strength of the All Black pack dominated scruxn work the men from N.S.W. were far froro being disgraced. Quite frequently they were able to get possession, and the hurryup backs made the most of their , opportunities. • The sound tackling, however, of their opponents nullified all work m this direction. The first spell found the visitors invading the home territory very strongly. A good deal of this was due to the fact that a strong wind favored long kicking, but all attempts to drive home ' \he attacks were stopped m the way the All Blacks know how. It was a wonderfully sustained effort on ' the part of the visitors, and had they been able to just get beyond the three-quarter line instead of being held up there a good score would have resulted. Many of the kicks found the dead ball line, and m this the visitors were a bit unfortunate. JAZZ ARTIST NEPIA. As it was, the jazz artist Nepia would have been beaten for the ball on maTay ocasions had. it not found the safe resting place. • It was perhaps difficult to judge kicking with such a fresh and freshening breeze blowing, but the Light Blues were making heroic efforts during the first spell to put on a score which would have made them feel more comfortable when facing wind and sun. In this they wero not successful. The visitors proved themselves good tacklers, and many a fine combined effort was brought to nought when it appeared as if there would be something doing. They* were also exceedingly good m the loose rushes, and more than once looked dangerous. In carrying these along they showed a fine control of the ball, a most essential feature m to-day's tactics. In this they beat the All Blacks, and it only wanted them to find a little opening and away they went through it. Weight more than anything else killed them. Up against such physical giants as Richardson, Brownlie, Flnlayson and Masters it is no wonder that they succumbed to the pressure m the long

(From "Truth's" Special Auckland Rep.)

run. Though the score at half-time was only five points against them, they were unfortunate m not themselves scoring, m addition to which they only just managed to stave off a score by tire All Blacks by their last line of defenojs. HEFTY ATTACKERS. The defence and attack of the All Blacks during the first spasm was something to enthuse over. With both wind and sun against them they set up some very hefty attacks, and once m possession of the ball never Jet go unless able to send along to someone else who had a better chance of scoringThis is where they beat the men from N.S.W. There was no blind passing or shooting to the air. Someone was always m the right position to accept. With a weaker man than Toby it would have been good -night nurse, even during the first spell, but he was too sound and invariably brought his man down. The one score effected during the first forty-five was a bobby dazzler. From a line-out M. Brownlie secured and sent out to Mill, who put m a jinky run till he placed Mark Nicholls m position and sent that player away to score under the bar and to convert his own try. It was a fine piece of play, and the opening of the All Blacks score. With such wonderful combination and understanding it does not take much imagination to "realise that these were and still are regarded as supermen from a football point of view. After Saturday's game, and realising that it is some considerable time since they were together, there is little wonder that they overwhelmed all-comers during the previous season on tour. What they do not know about the game could easily be written on a postage stamp with room to spare for a big signature. There is not a move, either defensive or attacking, for which they were not ready, and had it not bee,n that on the whole Nepia played an even worse game than on the previous Saturday, there would have been no. score recorded against them. The only, weak spots m this fine combination were Nepia and Lucas. Though both players did a little at times to retrieve themselves, neither showed any glimpse of All Black form, and were distinctly disappointing. With dropped passes and refusals to accept, Lucas certainly lost his side several good scoring chances. The game was a wonderfully clean one, just as all games should, but unfortunately are not, and went to show that even when such giant men are playing there is no need for the rough stuff exhibited the previous week. The All Blacks apparently find no difficulty m distinguishing • between hard play and stoush, and can .win without introducing the latter element. Their game should be, an object lesson to take a pattern from. THE PLAYERS. New South Wales team are a pretty fail-' average one with no particular outstanding players, though as a fullback Toby is a toby-roacher. It was no fault of his tackling that the All Blacks secured eight tries. Bowers proved himself a good stopper, and was responsible for one of the two tries secured by the team, but Nepia's being out of place made it easier than it should have been. Reid was also a hard man to beat. Morrisey played a fair game, and Crossman showed some fine bursts iof •speed. , Lawton made the most use of his pace, but efforts to pierce the defence was above him. Meagher showed to much better advantage, and increased the score of New South Wales from both tries. Ford is a great worker and was on the scene whenever play was hard. Rigney showed good form and was unfortunate m i-eceiving a knock which dazed him m the first spell. Blackwood is a good type and quite up to international form. GOOD ALL ROUND. With the exception of Nepia and Lucas it is difficult, to say who did not play up to expectations on the All Blacks' side. The combination was such that it was almost an impossibility to break it down. The way they hunted together, whether it was a loose rush among the pack or a passing bout by the rearguard, required all the genius of the men from New South Wales to stop the onslaught. No wonder the fans roared themselves hoarse. They would have been icicles not to have done so. Lomas was unfortunate, m not being one of the originals to do the big tour. . . On not only Saturday's play but on his games during last and this season it is to be wondered at why he was left at home. Mickey shows to advantage either m hooking or bustling along m the loose stuff. . Irvine was quite overshadowed, by Lomas m hooking and by all his supports jn open play. He is of the ultrar

rugged type. M. Brownlie gave of his best m this match, and that is saying quite a lot. An undoubted quality player with a great dash of speed for so big a man, he was of very material assistance m attack work. Finlayson, or -as he is affectionately termed, "Bunny," was the daddy of them all. Though he scored only one try he was responsible for placing other try-getters m that fortunate position. MASTERS DOES HIS JOB Masters did his job as lock just as' well as, was expected to be. He held the big pack together m admirable style, though not a great deal was to be seen of him m the loose ruck work, but when a man does his own particular job so well more should not be expected of him. "Jock" Richardson played just as "Jock" Richardson can, and that is saying quite a lot. Stewart also played a soli i game. Probably better than most people could realise, all eyes naturally being centred on the bigger men, but all the same, there was quality m his play. Porter. Well, one can realise this great winger at his best and say that it was very visible on Saturday. Just what he does not know, about the game and just what he does not bring into effect is not worth writing about. Jimmy Mill was Jimmy at his best, and little more need be said. Just how quick he is to realise an opening and take advantage of it leaves the other fellow standing. McGregor did all that was asked of him, and no man could do more. Mark Nicholls was at his best, and the way he made openings and kept, the three-quarter line well supplied with ammunition' kept both them and the opposition very busy. - J The first try came to his credit, and out of eight shots at goal he landed six. One hit the cross-bar and fell back, whilst the other was a good attempt. "SNOWY" IN ATTACK. Snowy Svenson quite upheld his fine reputation on Saturday. He is a great attacking player, and the bursts he made down the line took some 1 stopping, whilst his defence was as.j sound as the proverbial bell. Cooke, the elusive; Cooke, the opportunist; Cooke, the little wonder. These and similar' expressions could be heard when this player came from the clouds to either take part m an attack or to stop an attacking movement by the Light Blues. It is no wonder he has been acclaimed at Home as the best yet produced. He lost none of his glory on Saturday; May he be seen m Rugby for many a long year is the wish of every true sport. Lucas was a distinct failure, and how he managed to get into such a formidable team is now past comprehension. He certainly dropped his bundle on Saturday. On more than one occasion he refused to accept a pass, and once he undoubtedly dropped it m the face of an opposing rush. NEPIA 'S ANTICS. Nepia was just a jazz artist on Saturday. The crowd on the hill soon realised this fact and gave him many ironic cheers when he was jazzing about behind the line. There is nothing funny m football, but he was evidently bent on proving there was, though no one else could see it m the same light. For an All Black to stroll leisurely ai-ound and wait for the ball to cross the line and chase it to the. dead ball line is hardly conceivable, but this is whaft happened frequently on Saturday. Robilliard showed gaod form, during the time he took Svenson's place, but he is not. a Svenson. He scored the final try for the All Blacks. Cooke's two tries were masterpieces. McGregor also scored a very good one. . Eight tries and six goals was a good performance to put' up. Frank Sutherland was the right man to control such a fine game. His decisions gave satisfaction "to both sides, and it is said that the captain of the visiting team stated that his two efforts were the best met with m New Zealand. .