RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19065, 10 January 1924, Page 4

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

COLONIAL TOURS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. THIS YEAR’S ITINERARY. Specially Written for Otago Daily Times. By “Polity.” Tho publication of a London cablegram dated December 18, relative to the determination of certain fixtures for the New Zealand Rugby tour next British season, practically settles the itinerary about which there has been a certain amount of sparring for position. Tho tour will open in Devonshire on September 13, 1924. No more appropriate venue could have been chosen. The 1905 team’s opening match was won against the men of Devon, and New Zealand’s overwhelming superiority (55 to 4) instantly kindled interest in the team’s prospects and personnel to a remarkable degree throughout the kingdom. Besides which the establishment of the original headquarters at Newton Abbot has definitely associated Devonshire with tho glory of the All Blacks. . The international fixture with England has been set down for January 3, 1926, but the cable is silent as to whether it is the closing match of tho tour, possibly not, but even so the itinerary would still cover 112 days, which for 28 matches works out at one every fourth day. In any case the defection of the Davies-Kersbaw half-back lino (described as the greatest match-win-ning combination the Rushy game has ever known) is certain to counter-balance any disadvantage the New Zealanders may suffey in tackling the present international champions at the end of the tour. Tho internationals are scheduled as follows: v. Ireland, November 1, 1924. v. Wales, November 29, 1924. v. England, January 3, 1925. It is taken for granted that there is provision for the full week’s spell before each international bargained for by the New ZeaTand" executive. COMPARISON WITH THE 1905 PROGRAMME. The 1905 itinerary covered a period of 107 days from tho Devonshire match on September 16 to the French international on New Year’s Day, ISO 6. The approximate average was a match every third day. The British internationals followed each other at weekly intervals, excepting that Wales was played a fortnight alter England. In every case a mid-week match had to bo played before the fateful Saturday Glamorgan County was met four days after the Welsh International, and had all the players accepted the selector’s invitation it would really have constituted a return with Wales. Including Glamorgan, matches against four of the strongest teams in the United Kingdom were playd within 14 days of the International game, right at the end of the tour (the 29th, 30th, 31st, and 32nd matches). Outside the Internationals the stiffest opposition will be met with in Wales, and it is gratifying to note that the Welsh International takes place on the 77th day from the Devonshire match instead of the 91st day, as in the All Blacks’ tour. This gives the 1924 team a clear advantage of 14 days, and this fortnight’s credit is likely to prove invaluable. The fact that England (holder of tho Blue Riband) has won tho International Championship five out of the last nine seasons neqd not necessarily cause misgivings in so far as the lateness of the English International fixture is concerned. The tourists’ chief concern will be Wales and her cubs, and a clean sheet in the Principality would even compensate for a defeat by the Roses. According to the law of averages, England is due for a win, having failed to lower the colours of the Maoris, All Blacks, Springboks, Wallabies, or the Army Fifteen. Regarding the Internationals, even those who did not allow for the improvement to tho British game, following the colonial invasions, can hardly expect a repetition of the 1905 figures—three victories and a single try defeat, with a margin of 32 points to the good;— v. Scotland, won by 12 to 7. v. Ireland, won by 15 to nil. v. England, won by 15 to nil. v. Wales, lost nil to 3. more especially when the All are compared with the best fifteen of 1923. And no three teams on earth will ever again be 112 points ahead on a trio of French matches; All Blacks won 38 to 8. Springboks, 18C6, won 55 to 6. Springboks, 1912, won 38 to 8. THE SPRINGBOKS’ ITINERARY AT HOME. The original Springboks played j ,29 matches, opening against East Midlands at Northampton on September 27, 1906, and closing the tour with the French international at Paris, on January 5, 1907. ihis covered a period of 93 days, an average of two matches in seven days, which compared with the All Blacks’ itinerary gave the South Africans a reserve of something like a match every third week. . , _ The Springboks’ Internationals m 1900 were decided on:— November 17, v. Scotland (lost nil to 6). November 24, v. .Ireland (won 15 to 12). December 1, v. Wales (won 11 to nil). December 8, v. England (3 points draw). Mid-week matches preceded the Scotch, Irish, and Welsh games, but a-full weeks spell before taking England on at the Crystal Palace did not help them to beat the Roses. (What was still more remarkable was England’s subsequent failure in all its Internationals, Scotland winning at Blackheath. 8 to 3, Ireland at Dublin, 17 to 9, and Wales at Swansea, 22 to 0) Tho second Springboks played the smallest number of matches of the four tours. Their tally was 27 and the British Internationals were disposed of on November 23, 1912, v. Scotland, won 16 to 0; November 30, 1912, v. Ireland, won 38 to 0; December 14, 1912, v. Wales, won 3 to 0; January 4, 1913, v. England, won 9 to 3. Total, 66 to 3. There was a week before the Scocth and Irish match, a fortnight to prepare for Wales, and a further three weeks before meeting the English XV at Twickenham. The above intervals were between the International matches themselves. What a wonderful International record this splendid team achieved—like Auckland’s seven years’ break of 24 consecutive Ranfurly Shield victories it will probably never be excelled —a clean sheet and 63 points to tho good !. ... Tho three defeats of the 1912 Springboks were inflicted by (11 Newport, by 9 points to 3; (2) London Clubs, by 10 to 8; (3) Swansea, 3 to nil. The Londoners were played twice, and as the South Africans had whacked them 12 to 8 in the first encounter, it will be seen that the Metropolitan side nearly got even. Llanelly was beaten by a single point (8 to 7), and Cardiff by a similar margin (7 to 6), both matches being characterised by potted goals. As Neath Club was beaten by only live points (8 to 3), and the Welsh International went to Soutli Africa bv a penalty goal to nil, the tour of the Principality must have been in the nature ‘of a nightmare to the visitors. (Monmouth and Glamorgan counties were handsomely defeated, but evidently there was not much combination on these two Welsh sides.) One final impression of the 1912 side—it was the most popular Rugby team in (he history of the game. Speaking of tho South African XV in the Inter-Services championship of 1919 (defeated bv 14 to 5 at Twickenham on March 29. bv James Ryan and Co.', a well-known English critic, L. Hay, Stuart, paid it tho possible compliment when he wrote: “Striving hard to the end. taking success nuietly, and smiling at defeat, this fine XV worthily upheld the prestige of their predecessors of 19121913. HOW THE WALLABIES FARED. Going Horn® for the 1908-1909 British season tho Australians (consisting of 27 Now South Welshmen and four Queenslanders) found the opposition well stiffened by lessons taught in the All Blacks’ and Springboks’ tours. . Following on the absence of Irish and Scotch players in the Anglo-'Welsh tour of the Australian season, 1903, tho Wallabies got no matches in either Ireland or Scotland. Nevertheless the colonials had a 31tnatoh programme, or two more than the first Springboks and four more than their second team. That’s where the shoo pinched tho Australians, because “Taffy” obligingly accommodated them. No fewer than 11 Welsh fixtures were made, which were equal to tho total played in W 7 ales by the All Blacks (5) and original Springbok's (6). As four of their live defeats were suffered in Wales, and the Abertillery match was drawn, tho Wallabies therefore had a better record' than most people imagine. The comparison for the whole scries of matches appears in tho grand summary under another heading, but taken with the fine record of the second Springboks the figures read: WELSH MATCHES. P. W L. D. For Agst. Springboks (1912-1913) 8 6 2 0 80 31 OTHER MATCHES. Wallabies (1903-1909) ... 11 6 4' 1 91 67 Springboks (1912-1913) 19 18 1 0 321 70 Wallabies (1908-1909) ... 20 19 1 0 347 79 From the South African standpoint, it should bo noted that Ireland and ,'wetland

were beaten by a combined margin of 54 points; on the other hand the Australians had no easy French match to help their averages. South Africa had defeated France by 38 points to 5. Special features of the “Wallabies’ ” performances : 1. They failed to score in one match only, their record in that being common to the other colonial tours; —■ Wales beat the All Blacks, 3 to nil. Scotland beat the first Springboks, 6 to nil. Swansea beat the Wallabies, 6 to nil. Swansea beat the second Springboks, 3 to nil. 2. In their two international matches (a) they defeated England by three tries to one and (b) were beaten in Wales by the margin of a penalty goal only (each side scoring two tries apiece—9 to 6in favour of Wales). 5. The only English side to lower their colours was the Midland Counties, by 16 points to 5. . 4. The three Welsh club teams to put it across the “Aussies” were: Llanelly by 8 points to 3. Swansea by 6 points to nil. Cardiff by 24 points to 6. WHEN THEY WENT TO WALES. On glancing through the other colonial itineraries I notice that the Springboks and Wallabies made two incursions into th© Principality. From the summary it will be seen that in the four tours only 11 matches were lost" and a couple drawn in the total of 120. A Welsh club team took part in one of the drawn games, and “Taffy” hit two boundaries off the colonial bowling, this accounting for eight of the 11 defeats: Wales beat the All Blacks, 3 to nil. Wales beat the Wallabies, 9 to 6. Cardiff beat the first Springboks, 17 to nil. Cardiff beat the ’Wallabies, 24 to 8. Swansea beat the Wallabies, 6 to nil. Swansea beat the second Springboks, 3 to nil. Llanelly beat the Wallabies, 8 to 3. Newport beat the second Springboks, 9 to 3. Th© All Blacks had a narrow squeak in the Swansea match, winning only by a potted goal to a try. The 1912 Springboks were luckier still against Cardiff, getting home by a potted and penalty goal to two unconverted tries. The All Blacks’ match with Cardiff was famous for Percy Bush a gift of a try to New Zealand, who won by 10 to 8. _ If any proof is required of the Principality’s prowess, the above figure* certainly furnish it. Therefore we trust the 1924-25 itinerary will be arranged so as to maintain the same equilibrium of water-jumps as in 1906. 1908, and 1918 tours. A little table will demonstrate the disadvantage the All Blacks suffered in the arrangement of their Welsh fixtures:— WELSH MATCHES. All Blacks (5). In order of fixture list—28th match, 29th match, 30th match, 31st match, 32nd match. First Springboks (6). 10th match, 11th match, 20th match. 26th match, 27th match, 28th match. Wallabies (11). 4th match, to 7th match, and 22nd to 28th match. Secpnd Springboks (8). 4th match to 7th match, and 21st to 24th match. Well, the All Blacks won all their Welsh club matches, so why worry? Simplv because the margin of victory was almost the minimum, and the 1924-25 side tvill be at least inferior to the extent that conservation of the team’s powers (by a first-class arrangement of matches and transport) is absolutely essential. Here is a memory refresher of the 1905 Welsh results: — Wales beat New Zealand, 3 to 0. New Zealand beat Galmorgan, 9 to 0. New Zealand beat Newport, 6 to 3. New Zealand beat Cardiff, 10 to 8. New Zealand beat Swansea, 4 to 3. Only two English teams crossed the All Blacks’ line—viz., Durham and Midland Counties. COLONIAL TOURS OF UNITED KINGDOM AND FRANCE. GRAND SUMMARY. P. W. L. D. For. Agst1. All Blacks, 1905 33 32 1 2. Springboks, 1806 29 26 2 1 608 87 3. Wallabies. 1908 31 25 5 1 436 146 4. Springboks, 1912 27 24 3 120 107 11 2 2355 581 5. N.Z. Natives, . 1888-89 74 49 20 5 394 188 6. N.Z. Army, 1019 38 33 2 3 547 JO7 f 232 189 33 10 3296 678 Captains: —(1) D. Gallaher, (2) P. Ross, (3) Dr H. M. Moran', (4) W. A. Millar, (5) J. A. Warbrick, (6) Jas. Ryan, Petone. SCORERS IN THE" INTERNATIONALS. ALL BLACKS. (Played 4, won 3, lost 1. Points 43 to 10.), Against Scotland (12).—G. W. Smith two tries, W. Cunningham and F. T. Glasgow a try each. . _ Against Ireland (15). —R. 61 Deans two tries and A. M’Donald one try. W. J. Wallace kicked three goals. Against England (15).—D. M’Gregor four tries and F. Newton one try. Against Wales—No score. FIRST SPRINGBOKS. (Played 4, won 2, lost 1, drawn L Points 29 to 21.) Against Ireland (15). —J. D. Knge and J. A. Loubser two tries each, Douglas Morkel a penalty goal. ' _ , Against Wales (11). —S. Joubert, J. A. Loubser. and J. W. E. Raaff one try each. S Joubert converted th© last try. Against England (3).—W. A. Millar scored an unconverted try. x Against Scotland. —No score. WALLABIES. (Played 2. won 1, lost 1. Points 15 to 18.) Against Wales (6)* —C. Russell and T, J. Richards a try apiece. Against England (9).- —C. Russell two tries and N. E. Row one try. SECOND SPRINGBOKS. (Played 4, won 4. Points 65 to 3.) Against Scotland (16). —J. A. Stegmann two tries, W, H. Morkel and L, EM’Hardy on© try each, Douglas Morkel two conversions. Against Ireland (38). —J. A. Stegmann and E. E. M’Hardv three tries each, J. W. Morkel two tries, J. A. Francis and W. A. Millar one try each, F. P. Luvt and Gerhard Morkel two conversions each. Against Wales (3).— Douglas Morkel one penalty goal. Against England (91. —J. W, Morkel one trv and Douglas Morkel two penalty goals. Notes: (1) England was the onlv country to register a single point in the whole four internationals. 12) Familiar names to New Zealanders are those of W. H. (“Boy”) and Gerhard Morkel, members of the South African team to tour New Zealand in 1921. Individual Records of Colonial Teams. I NEW ZEALAND NATIVES, 1888-89. (1) E M’Causland got 149 points out of a total of 394, scored in 74 matches, kicked 70 goals, and scored two tries. (2) Leading trv-getters were: Pat Keogh (32), Tom Ellison (22), and Tab. Wynyard (22); these three players thus secured 76 tries out of 190 tor the 74 matches. (3) Davy Gage played in 68 out of the 74 matches. ALL BLACKS, 1905. (1) W. J. Wallace scored 227 points made un of 77 goals and 22 tries. (2) Jimmy Hunter topped the century with 123 paints, all tries—his tally of 41 is a worlas record. (3) Other double figure try-getters were: G. W. Smith (19), R. G. Doans (17). D. M’Gregor (16), H. L. Abbott (14), F. Roberts (12), H. J. Mynott (11). (4) F. Roberts played in most matches. (5) Played in the four British Internationals: G. A. Gillett, W. J. Wallace, R. G. Deans, J. Hunter. F. Roberts, S. Casey. G. A. Tyler, F. T. Glasgow, J. J. O’Sullivan, A. M’Donald, and C. E. Seeling. The All Blacks’ goal line was crossed nine times only—viz., by Durham on September 16, Midland Counties on October 28, and Scotland on November 18, Wales on December 16, Cardiff twice on December 26, Swansea on December 30, and' Franco twice on January 1, 1906. New Zealand scored 215 tries. The record of the team is one that has never been approached, except by W. E. Maclagan’s in South Africa, 1891. [They lost no matches, winning the whole 19 ’with 219 points to spare. Their line was crossed once only, in the opening match of the tour, against the Cape Town clubs. They won the tests: Twice by four points to nil and the other by 2 to nil.] SPRINGBOKS, 1906. (1) H. W. Carolin headed the list of scorers with 74 points, consisting of 23 goals and 6 tries. (2) Other players to top the half century were; J. Loubser (69), A. Stegmann (56', and D. Mare (51). (3) The double figure try-getters and ! “Duftys” were-.—Tries, J. Loubser (23). j A. Stegmann (18), J. G. Hirsch (13). J. S. Lo Roux (13), and W. V. Martheze (10). Goals: H. W. Carolin (23), D. Mare (19). and Douglas Morkel (18). WALLABIES, 1908, (1) Hit a century:— P. Carmichael, one of the four Queenslanders in the team. His tallv was 122 points, all goals. One from a mark, five penalties, and 62 from tries.

(2) The only double figure try-getteri we re two New South Welshmen:—C. Russell (24) and D. B. Carroll (15). (3) Russell got three of the five tries scored in the Welsh and English Internationals. SPRINGBOKS, 1912. The New Zealand Annual, 1923, does not contain the individual records of the second South African side. Here they are:—

441 SCOTLAND FOR EVER. The cable of December 18 wound up laconically “No Scotch fixtures have yet been arranged.” But nobody with any knowledge of the situation at Home was surprised when the bombshell dropped on December 21:—“Scotch matches are off.” Here are some of the facts: 1. Friction between the English and Scottish Unions prevented New Zealand Natives from getting Scotch matches in 1888-89. 2. The Scots said in 19C5: “We cannot give you anything like the English or Welsh guarantee (TO per cent, of the profits with a minimum of £500), but you can take the entire profits of the match at Inverleith.” Result: The New Zealand Rugby Union pocketed over £IOOO from the Au Blacks v. Scotland match. 5. In a nutshell and to draw it mild “The Scottish Fifteen did not take their beating well.” 4. No Scotch players cam© out with A. F. Harding for the 1908 -Australian tour. 5. The Scottish Rugby Union arranged no fixtures for the Wallabies. 6. It has been hinted for some time ia the cables that the 1924 New Zealand team would get no matches against “Jock." What is the good of. making a fuss? Wo can never be forgiven; why not recognise it? And as for the' sob staff, well to be quite candid “the war hasn’t taught anybody anything." All the British officers the writer met abroad were Scotchmen and they were all fine chaps—any member of the N.Z.E.F. will tell you the same, but Rugby is a thing apart. By no stretch of imagination can it be maintained that these Rugby “Jack Puddings” represent the Scottish nation, for whose benefit surely a fixture with a British Empire team could be arranged at Glasgow, for the New Zealanders. Why not a Home Countries or an Overseas Dominion’s Fifteen. ALL HAIL TO IRELAND!

Basil Maclear (gone West in the Great War) endeared himself to the All Blacks and scored one of the finest tries of International Rugby history, when Ireland (ust failed to down the 1906 Springboks (12 to 15). J. C. Parke wag. a great three-quarter, who later made himself a favourite in Australasia, what time his team (the others were Dixon, Lowe, and Beamish) lifted tha Davis Cup, In memory of this fine pair of Irish backs nothing in the fixture list pleases the eye more than Ireland’s acceptance of an international encounter with the New Zealanders, the first star match of the British season. The Irish Rugby Union was not represented in the last British tour of the dominion, nor did the Australian* secure a match at Dublin or Belfast. And the Irishmen, too, had a taste of the sound business tactics of the New Zealand Rugby Union in arranging the 1905 tour. As we have seen, “Jock” was not so canny after all, but “Paddy’s” luck was better. Not being able to foresee the extraordinary financial success of the All Blacks’ tour, the Irish Union would not come at the £SOO guarantee either, bub did offer the whole profits to the New Zealanders with a minimum of £IOO. The colonials, however, put up a counter-proposal of £IOO plus half me profits, and the Irish Union, sitting on a tidy nest egg approaching £SOOO, compromised on New Zealand’s terms. The result was that bpth parties topped the £SOO mark and no blood was spilt. So the All Blacks were not . exactly wizards of finance either, in turning down the Irish offer of the entire profits with, a £IOO minimum, but the compromise was undoubtedly the happiest way out of the diffiWith regard to the Ireland v. New Zealand international, all the Home critics agreed that there never had been a game played in a better spirit in Ireland, and it is doubtful if there ever would be one. So no wonder the New Zealand boys are keen on another chance. THEY AGREE TO DIFFER. Mr George Dixon, manager of the AE Blacks, on page 106 of “The Triumphant Tour of the New Zealand Footballers,” hallmarks the correctness of the financial basis of the internationals as stated by an Irish, writer in 1905. The British and Welsh Unions agreed to the All Blacks taking 70 per cent, of the profits, with a guaranteed minimum of £SOO. ... Now Mr Neil Galbraith, who was treasurer of the New Zealand Rugby Union at the time, is stated by the Pr<Ss Association on December 22 to have said that the basis was a minimum of £SOO, anything over that to be equally divided! If the experts differ on suen a vital poms no wonder mis-statements are being made relative to lifting a wad of £3OOO m Scotland To cool the ardour of street corner authorities I may state the New Zealand Rugby Union netted about £9500 on the All Blacks’ tour, and the net gates for the two matches in Scotland came to £llOO (the Scottish Union conceding the whole o£ the gates instead of guaranteeing 10 per cent, with a minimum of £535. ALLOWANCES TO PLAYERS. I note that Mr S. F. Wilson, always an outspoken Rugbyito, says he is of opinion there will be no New Zealand team for Great Britain in 1924 unless the 3S daily allowance to players is forthcoming. It is well known that Bedell-Sivnght s team got it, so did the All Blacks, and _so did the New Zealand team of 1920. ’The point is that anv further effort to squeeze payment out of the English Rugby Union will'be disastrous. But get this:—• No thoroughly New Zealand represent*tive team can be got away without this minimum payment to players.

p. P. T. Morkel Pts. _ 61 Try. Ccn. Pen. 20 ft Ptd Gla. E. E. M'Hardy ... 54 18 —. — — J. A. Stegmann ... 39 33 — — — A. De le Key ... 30 30 — — — \V. J. Hills ... 27 0 — — — J. W. Morkel ._ ... 27 5 2 — 2 G. ST. Wrentmore ... 27 3 5 — 2 R. B. Euyt ... 2o 7 — — I F. J. Luvt ... 23 3 7 — — W. H. Morkel ... ... 18 6 — — — P. G. Morkel ... 14 — 7 — . —• W. A. Krige ... 30 • 2 — — 1 F. J. Dobbin 6 2 — — — J. II. Imuielmann ... 6 2 — ■— — J. A. J. Francis ... 6 2 — — — W. A. Millar ... S 2 — — E. H. Shum ... 6 2 — — — T. F. Tan Vnuren ... 6 2 ~ — — s. X. Cronje ... 3 1 — — —• A. S. Knicht — ... 3 1 — — — L. H. Lonw _ ... 3 1 — — —t J. D buy; _ ... 3 1 — — — 403 94 Eecapitulation. From tries ... „ From conversions _ ... From potted goals _ ... From penalty goals French match; Scorers not available „ „ 41 5 282 82 24 15 403 S3 6