WITH THE "ALL-BLACKS," 1907-8.

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 58

WITH THE "ALL-BLACKS," 1907-8.

By A. H. Baskebville.

HALIFAX, 9; NEW ZEALAND, *.

ANOTHER SLOUGH OF DESPOND. -v HALIFAX, Deoember 14. The^luok of the New Zealanders cannot be considered by any means good lately. The match with Halifax, the well-known Torkshire Club, and League ChiunpionSip winner last year, was regarded as one .the most severe ordeals which we would have to encounter during the tour. At th-J present time Halifax are just on the to-i of their form. Oldham had beaten them a few days before by the narrowest pcisiblo margin,, so we were sanguine "of »uccecs on Saturday. But the fates wiUed otherwise. A record storm and rainfall on Friday night left th© pitch in a deI&Iorable ctm-dftion. It was too t>a<3 fo~ rootba.ll A cowrinec of straw put down did not improve matters — in fact, it made them worse. Try to imagine running over •ix inches of mud covered with a thick £ayer of straw. Todd's efforts to do so

7 were at times laughable. He (ell down I every few yards. It was also funny to see th« forwards trying to dribble through ths straw, particularly in the second spell, when a smart shower of rain made it sodden and heavy. ■ Our forwards did not seem to mind the unusual conditions much, but on the other hand our backs were absolutely at sea. We met with a, fine reception at Halifax on arrival. A crowd and the Mayor and officials met. us at the station, and drove ua in carriages to a hotel, where the Mayor entertained us in fine style to lunch. Dull, Ihreater-ing weather, which during the match unfortunately turned into rain, kept what would have been a record crowd down to an attendance of 11,000. The "gate" amounte-j to a little over £400. The New Zealand team was: — Turtill, Wrigloy. Smith, Messenger, R. Wynyard, Todd, Kelly, Trevarthen, Pearce, LHe, Tyne, Johnston, and Byrne. They were not all "sound," as risks were taken in Todd's and Byrne's" cases, but it was Hobson's choice, as the breathers were in most cased on the injured list. The Mayor of Halifax kicked off. He is a fine old gentlemap — a good sport— one of the best we have yet met. ■ He seemed 'disinclined to .leave the field— in fact, had tp be reminded of his presence by v the referee. As he explained at the banquet after the match, he wanted to help' the colonials, because his sons were out in New South Wales in business: ' The "All 'Blacks" set up a hot attack, at the. start of play/ They secured control of the ball in the scrums, but it was no good to them on that ground, and passing was well -nigh useless. After a few attempts to get over by passing had been frustrated, Messenger toon a free kick at goal, but the ball passed a few feet outside. Halifax then attacked by dribbling, but Smith saved after a gallant dive in the slush. Johnston and R. Wynyard dribbled away from a scrum to half-way, and Messenger by a fine kick and smart following up shifted play to the home twenty-five. But the attack wae a -short one. Halifax relieved with a. free kick, finding touch near our twenty-five. From the ensuing scrum they secured the ball, and by pretty passing scored a try, which was not converted. Halifax followed upjfcbis advantage with other fine passing rushes, but resolute tackling prevented further scores. * A fine passing bout, in which Kelly, R. Wynyard, Smith, and Wrigley participated, removed play back to neutral territory. The New Zealand forwards further rushed play to the- Halifax line, where offside play: gave Messenger a chance, and he placed a fine goal. By means of free kicks Halifax kept on the attack. After saving by a force once, the Blacks the second time were overcome, and Halifax scored after another passing bout. This try was not converted either. Messenger .retaliated a few moments later by kicking his second .goal from an off-eide penalty kick. The ©cores thus stood — Halifax 6, New Zealand 4 — at halftime. As in the first instance, the Blacks again started off well. Smith made a brilliant - dash to Halifax quarters before passing to Messenger, who nearly got over after a grand run. Several nice New Zealand passing attempts to score were fruitless. Messenger 'dribbled once through the mud and looked like scoring. At length Halifax forwards ruehed to ' the attack. In our twenty-five they secured from a "scrum, and by irresistible passing scored another - unconverted try. The rest of the game was fought out in neutral territory. Occasionally the Blacks rushed -to the home line, but nothing qa-me of their attacks. Smith made some desperate attempts to get over by dribbling and running, and almost succeeded once or twice. Byrne and Lile were almost over at times through fine dribbling rushes. Johnston, dribbled magnificently — once fully $0 y_ards through the straw and slush. However, their fine efforts were futile, and the game ended without further scoring— Halifax 9, New Zealand 4. _