NEW ZEALANDERS AT HOME.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11126, 15 November 1907, Page 7

NEW ZEALANDERS AT HOME.

PUZZLED BY NEW RULES. SYDNEY, November 14. English newspapers received by mail to-day state that the opening game oi the New Zealanders tour m Britain, played against Bramley Club, by no means the strongest the Northern Union, was not so wildly, one-sided as had been predicted, but the result was decisive enough to satisfy those who believe the New Zealanders to be as good a contingent as their predecessors. : At present the visitors are struggling with the subtleties of th© Northern Union rules, which m 'some vital instances are different from the brdinai-y Rugby Union regulations. /The absence of the line-out crippled the New Zealanders' idea of attack, and the halfback rule, which makes it imperative that every man not a scrummager must stand behind the pack, prevented the winger from doing anything under pain of a penalty, and the method of punting into touch as a method of attack is also frowned upon. The colonials, however, had good tuition; they cleverly assimilated their instructions, and gave a very good, . but not perfect, exhibition of the new game. They ' demonstrated their individual brilliance, and when they, are sure of their ground and the combination ' grows m cleverness, will be a grand contingent. The /large attendance gave . prevrous members of the All Blacks team a hearty welcome, while Messenger and Wrigley were particularly well receiyed. The New Zealanders tried to work their pack with five forwards against six of their opponents - with a 3—2 formation, but Tyler, who was wing forward, soon got m the way of the referee, and his five colleagues were!obliged to have his assistance m stemming the rushes of the. Bramley scrummagers. • The Yorkshire club never played so well or ?o pluckily. The game was only two minutes old when a kick gave Messenger an opportunity and a goal was placed. Later Rowe ran, over, the line. Messenger improved' the points, and Smith gained a try, half-time arriving with the score m favor of New Zealand by 10 points to six 7 The. second half saw the visitors push their attack to a better finish, with two tries scored by. Tyler and one by Wrigley, Messenger placing goals from Tyler's.and missing Wrigley's, and kicking a goal from a penalty, after -a piece of bad play by Hogg, the Bramley captain. The New Zealanders, especially Messenger, kicked splendidly, their passing was bright, but not always accurate, and several' good chances were missed. A fine piece of work was done by Wrio-ley and Messenger, tbe latter being just robbed of a try by an infringement ori the touch line. The visitors are not quite equal to their task,: and have not yet matured their science.: Their reduced number, and their idea of frying to screw the scrum,; and if possible dribble the ball through their -opponents, did not always result m success. The game ended: New Zealand .25 points, Bramley 6 points.