RUGBY TEAM FOR AFRICA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16622, 13 April 1928, Page 3

RUGBY TEAM FOR AFRICA

LEAVING TO-DAY FAREWELL functions (Ter Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. The AH Blacks will leave Wellington to-morrow afternoon for South Africa. Members of the team were accorded a civic farewell to-day and entertained at a banquet- to-night, the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, being present on both occasions.

: Mr. Hornig, the manager, and M. Brownlie, captain, stated that, although they did not expect to return with an unbeaten record, they would be well satisfied to win the majority of the tests. Both realised the magnitude of the task set, the team.

At the banquet among those present were the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, the Hon. K. 8. Williams, and Mr. 11. Manoy, of Motueka (president of the N.R.N.) Honored guests were Messrs T. W. Wynyard, a member of the New Zealand team which toured Great Britain in 1888, F. Roberts, F. Glasgow, W. Wallace, H. D. Thomson, G. 11. Dixon (manager and members of the 1905 All Blacks), and several members of the New Zealand team which toured Great Britain and France without sustaining a single defeat.

Mr. Coates wished the team every success on the tour. The people of New Zealand, he said, would be behind the team to a man in the stern tussles ahead. Mr. Coates proposed the toast of “The New Zealand, team.” The people, he said, had every Confidence in the members of tfie team. The players had to remember that they were representing New Zealand among a strange people in a strange land. Nothing could bring the two peoples together more quickly) than, the bond of sport. Tho team could do the Dominion a good service by leaving a good impression. No .one should under-estimate the stamina of the Springboks. /‘The best of good, luck,” concluded Mr. Coates, .“and, if it should be your misfortune to be beaten, remember the same welcome will await you in Now Zealand, as if you had been victorious.”;

All t'hc speakers were of the opinion; that the-tour was the hardest a New Zealand team had ever been called on to undertake. All the members of the team were presented with New Zealand Olympic badges.

STRONG ATTACKING FORCE MATERIAL FOR FORMIDABLE SIDE EXHIBITION MATCH IMPRESSIONS The 5500 spectators jwlio attended tho exhibition' match ...played by the New Zealand Rugby team at Athletic Park, Wellington, on Wednesday saw glimpses of form good enough to suggest that the side has material which should settle down into a formidable combination. , It was not to be expected that brilliant form would be exhibited in a game in which tho players were stretching their legs for the first time this season, but the material is there, and the forwards especially demonstrated that the 1928 vanguard will be a powerful one. The backs, too, revealed flashes of form good enough to lend the impression that the : full strength of the side should wold into a strong attacking force as the South African tour proceeds. The afternoon was ideal for. the game, the recent showers having softened the playing field nicely without unduly( slowing it up. Tho captain’s team played in New Zealand colors (ail black), while the vicecaptain’s side were garbed in all white.. Two spells of 35 minutes each were played, and it was significant that the kick-into-touch rule was reverted to (states the Dominion). The first thing which took the eye as the teams lined out was the physique of the forwards, M. Brownlie, Alley, Hazlett, Ward, and McWilliams looming up prominently on the captain’s side, while opposite them were the equally sturdy C. Brownlie, Stewart, Finlayson, Snow, and Harvey. . Big fellows these,- who took some holding when they commenced to throw their weight about. GOOD HOOKERS

The serums were compactly formed, but Swain and Burrows, the hookers for the vice-captain’s team, badly beat Hore and Hadley), who. opposed them, for possession of the ball, which came put to Dailey like a flash. The vice-captain’s team gave the best.exhibition of scrum work, which lias 'been seen in this country for a twelve month. The solid manner in which Harvey, the 15st. 101b.' . Wairarapa giant, locked the scrum appeared to have not a little to do with his hookers’ success. •

Though want of condition was apparent in neglect to follow up with zeal, the forwards went quite well for a preliminary, gallop, one of the best features about the play .being short hand-to-hand passing, which was indulged in, this recalling memories of the 1921 Springbok forwards in this country, who so often transferred the ball .from hand, to hand.

, The work on the line-outs was not as clean as it might have been, but this was due in large measure to the strength of the opposition. It is difficult to take a throw-in. cleanly when a Oft. giant, weighing lost., is in front of you, and is just as anxious as yourself to grab the ball. A SAFE FULLBACK H,. Lilburne, the Canterbury representative, gave a very sound display at, fullback for the Whites. His taking and fielding were very clean, and he showed excellent judgment in his line-kicking, which gained every possible yard. He played very coolly throughout, and rather overshadowed Lindsay, who failed to find the line several times, and also allowed a score on one occasion, through not getting iterpsp in time. . . Still, Lindsay is a. powerful kick, and should do well in the position. The best back on the day wore the two five-eighths, McGregor and Strang, who opposed each other. Both took their passes well when on the move, and showed initiative in beating a man before sending the leather on. ‘McGregor, in particular, showed brilliance, and was in the thick of all the attacking movements. TWO SMART HALVES The 1928 New Zealand team will be well served behind the scrum. Both

Dailey and Kilby showed nippiness, and shot the leather out in good style to the man behind them. . Both, excelled in defence, and wore not afraid to pull the footrushes up by flopping at. the feet of the big forwards. The wingers, on account of the absence of combination, did not get many opportunities to show . their price's, but Robilliard, Grcuside, Lucas, .and' Rushbrook all showed that they had pace, and that spirit of determination. which spoils tries. Robilliard has developed into a dangerous scoring man. He gets up pace very), quickly,, and his list. 81b. takes some stopping, when lie gets it 'properly under way., The passing was >vild at times, and by no means followed the slogan of the 1924 All Blacks.—“ Secure possession, retain possession, don’t lose possession.” * CAPETOWN ARRANGEMENTS SALE OF SEASON TICKETS (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Aesn.i (Australian and N-.-Z. Press Association.] CAPETOWN, April 12. Rugby season tickets giving the right to re-book the same,seats for the All Black matches are being sold.