THE ALL BLACKS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22810, 20 February 1936, Page 10

THE ALL BLACKS

ARRIVAL OF DUNEDIN MEMBERS Messrs J. Here and F. Vorrath, members of the All Black team which has just returned to New Zealand, arrived in Dunedin by the through express yesterday. Messrs N. A. Mitchell (Southland) and G. Gilbert (West Coast) were also on the train and went on to Invercargill. Mrs Gilbert has been staying in Southland with her husband’s people since the team went away. Mr Gilbert, senior, is manager of the Ohai mine. There was a large crowd on the station, including the Mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox) to welcome the returning footballers.

The Southern Club will extend a welcome to Mr Here at the Bathgate pavilion on Saturday night. MR HORE’S IMPRESSIONS AN INSTRUCTIVE COMMENTARY Mr J. Hore, in an interview with a Daily Times reporter last night, gave some particulars of the play of members of the New Zealand team. t He stated that Oliver was easily the outstanding back on the side, and always played fine football. Mitchell was the most improved back on the tour, and played some wonderful games. He was consistent all through. Sadler was without doubt the s better half-back on the side and against Wales particularly, proved his worth when the Welsh forwards were persistently breaking on to him. Caughey played his best games against Ireland and Scotland, but in the match against England he did not show up, the inside backs lacking penetration and the passing going straight across the field. Griffiths was a solid all round five-eighths and Gilbert developed into a class full-back. Mr Hore states that the odds were anything against Gilbert placing a goal in the match against Oxford, yet he took a kick with a heavy, greasy ball from the side line near half-way in the last stages of the game and won the match —10—9. Hart appeared to lose that well-known burst of his when within striking distance of the line in the match against Wales, but the opinion was given that he could with advantage to his side have been included in the game against England.

Touching on the forwards, Mr Hore singled out King, Hadley, Lainbourn and Mahoney as a quartet of hard working forwards who could always be relied on to pull their weight, as the saying goes, and those who have seen Hore play would know that he, too, would be where work was required. Incidentally, it may be added that Mr Hore will turn out for the Southern again this year. Vorrath also played well in the games in which he took part, and could with advantage have been included more often in the All Black side than he was.

Wooller, the Welsh centre threequarter, won the praise of the New Zealand team by his great game for Wales against the All Blacks, which, with a shade of luck, and without decrying the wir of the home side, might easily have resulted in a win for the visitors. Wooller’s play is likened to that of Fookes, the University five-eighths, but he is bigger and faster than the local man. Cranmer, the English centre threequarter; Shaw, stand-off for Scotland, and Claude Davey, centre for Wales, were great players who impressed Mr Hore, who states, however, that there were several more backs of an almost equally high standard. Jenkins, Wales, was the outstanding full-back of the tour. Mr Hore waxed .nthusiastic over the play of the Irish forwards. He stated that the manner in which these forwards, bunched, dribbled the ball was most spectacular, and that when they were in “ full cry ” they took some stopping. Outstanding forwards were Ross and Siggins (Ireland); Beattie (Scotland), and Clark (England). Summing up the play in the three games in which the All Blacks were defeated. Mr Hore says that at Swansea they were beaten by a better side, :n the Wales game they wore a bit unlucky to lose, and against England they were outclassed.

The two grounds which appealed to Mr Hore as the best the team played on were Twickenham and Murrayfield, though for that matter all the grounds were very good. Mr Gadncy, a brother of the English half-back, was the best referee played under on the tour.

Many old Otago footballers were met, including Dr Hindenach, Dr Brian Dunne, Dr M’Lean (“Huffy”), Mr Harold Service, and Dr Don Stevenson, who is stationed at Scarborough. Demp- «■ -, the ex-New Zealand cricketer, was also met at Leicester. Woiftlerful hospitality was extended to the visitors throughout their tour. While the team was in London each man was presented with a silver cigarette case by the New Zealanders resident in the metropolis. The reporter asked Mr Hore what was the most vivid impression of the tour left in his mind. There was no hesitation in his reply, which was—“ Armistice Day in London.” The streets were thronged with thousands of people and yet when the signal for the two minutes’ silence was given a hush that could be felt fell on the masses of people. One could actually hear the' rustling of the trees in the complete silence.