THE 1928 ALL BLACKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3861, 13 March 1928, Page 59

THE 1928 ALL BLACKS.

TWENTY-NINE PLAYERS SUFFICIENT. WELLINGTON, March 9. Mr S. S. Dean, chairman of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union, in reply to a letter urging that more than 29 men be sent with the New Zealand team to tour South Africa this year, said that the rules of the International Rugby Board had for some years past fixed 29 as the maximum number of players for tours. When arranging the itinerary of the 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 25 to 22. He considered that the New Zealand team this year, with 29 men, should be 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. lhe number of matches played in South Atrice by British teams had varied from 19 t° 24. In 1891 W. E. Maclagan’s team had played 19 games, of which all were won. J. Hammond’s combination in 1896 had played 21 matches, of which 19 were won, one lost, and one drawn. Mark Morrisons team in 1903 had had 22 games, winning 11, losing eight, and drawaud Dr T - Smythe’s team in 1910 had engaged in 24 matches, of which w ® re . ?'? n > eight lost, and three drawn, lhe British team which had fared worst * n A frica fo F casualties was Covebmith s 1924 combination, which, out of 21 matches, had won nine, lost nine and drawn three. ’ Mr Dean pointed out that the 1905 411 Blacks, who comprised only 27 men, had played 33 matches in Great Britain and .Trance, of which only the game against Males was lost. It had to be remembered, too, that Joe Warbrick's 1888-89 ttMaori team, which toured Great Britain, had played 74 games on the tour, of which 49 were won. 20 lost, and five Af a i'«R2 i E ‘i Stoddart ’ s British team of 1888 had played 19 matches in New Zealand and 15 in Australia, with only fi m xv n ’ * Te dld n °t see, therefore, that the New Zealand team was being asked to do too much in South Africa this year m playing 22 matches with 29 men In his opinion it would be a mistake to take more than 29 men on any Rugbv tour, as players became disgruntled if ™ ey ere kept to ° 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. “■ — o