THE 1928 ALL BLACKS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20354, 10 March 1928, Page 7

THE 1928 ALL BLACKS.

TOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA. TWENTY-NINE PLAYERS SUFFICIENT. (£Teclu. to Daily Times.) WELLINGTON - , March 9. Air S. S. Dean, chairman of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union, in reply to a letter urging that more than 2!) men be sent with the New Zealand team to tour South Africa this year, said that the rules of the International Rugby Board bud for some years past fixed 29 as the maximum number of players for tours. When arranging the itinerary of tire All Blacks’ tour of South Africa this year the question of hard grounds and high altitudes had exercised the minds of the Management Committee, and this was the reason it had reduced the number of matches from 23 to 22. He considered that the New Zealand team this year, with 29 men, should bo able to carry through a programme of 22 matches all right. He pointed out that the New Zealand Military Rugby team had played 27 matches in South Africa in 1919 with 27 men. The number of matches played in South Africa by British teams had varied from 19 to 24. In 1891 W. E. Maclagan’s team had played 19 games, of which all were won. J. Hammond’s combination in 1890 had played 21 matches, of which 19 were won, one lost, and one drawn. Mark Morrison’s team in 1903 had had 22 games, winning 11, losing eight, and drawing three, and Dr T. Smythe’s team in 1910 had engaged in 24 matches, of which 13 were Avon, eight lost, and three drawn. The British team which had fared worst in South Africa for casualties was CoveSmith’s 1024 combination, which, out of 21 matches, had won nine, lost nine, and drawn three. Air Dean pointed out that the 1903 All Blacks, who comprised only 27 men, had played 33 matches in Great Britain and France, of which only the game against Wales was lost. It had to be remembered, too. that Joe Warbrick’s 1888-89 ffMaori team, which toured Great Britain, had played 74 games on the tour, of which 49 were won. 20 lost, and five drawn. A. E. Stoddart’s British team of 1888 had played 19 matches in New Zealand and 15 in Australia, with only 22 men. He did not see, therefore, that the New Zealand team was being asked to do too much in South Africa this year , in playing 22 matches with 29 men. In his opinion, it would be a mistake to take more than 29 men on any Rugby tour, as players became disgruntled if they were kept too often on the bank. The Management Committee of the New Zealand Union had given careful consideration to the South African programme, and was confident that the 29 players selected would see the programme through satisfactorily.