ALL BLACKS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18596, 5 January 1935, Page 7

ALL BLACKS

PREPARATIONS FOR TOUR BRITISH RUGBY PLAY INTERPRETATION OF RULES LONDON, Dec. 11. New Zealanders in England arc beginning to get very interested in the standard of Rugby here—lor the All Blacks will bo on their way before many months are. past. We had a good opportunity to-day of seeing sonietiiing not only of English, but of Seottis" and Welsh standards, for iu the university match, Oxford v. Cambridge, at Twickenham, there was a phenomenally large number of international players. We liaye heard reports troni recent arrivals from New Zealand that there is a dearth of brilliant inside backs in the Dominion. There is not exactly a plethora of them in these islands, hut after seeing C. W. Jones, the Cambridge "stand-off hall"—the equivalent of our first five-eighth—play to-day, 1 ieel that Wales will have for next year a key player of genius, capable, behind even moderately successful forwards, of penetrating almost any defence. We saw him to-day cut Oxiord's deience to ribbons with swift changes of direction dictated by that keen eye for an opening which distinguishes the truly great player. Jones is a worthy follower of t..e great Welsh half-backs of a generation ago. He is fast and elusive, and 1 will lit; much surprised if New Zeakuidei's are not very familiar with his name by tliis. time next year. AN OUTSTANDING SUCCESS

Another outstanding success in today's match was W. Wooller, capped lor Wales when still at school, and given his "blue," at Cambridge last year. His form at centre three-quarter has not been very consistent, but to-day ne came right into his own. He was opposed by P. Cranmer, the English international centre, of whom great things are justifiably hoped, and got the better of the deal. Woller incidentally dropped a goal from hallway which will remain tor long in the memories of the many thousands present. Wooller s partner in the centre of the threequarter line was P. L. Candler, who is regarded as a possible stand-off half for England. Candler proved himself a sterling player, and a master of the cut-in. The Cambridge leit wing threequarter was K. C. Fyic, the Scottish international. By very determined running he scored three tries, and it is doubtful whether New Zealand could produce to-day a. better player in the position. THEi THREE-QUARTER LINE The Oxford three-quarter line of internationals and trial players—A. L. Warr, P. Cranmer, H. D. B. Lorraine, and G. R t Rees-.lones—was paralysed by a comparatively slow service from the scrum, where the Oxford forwards were nearly always successful in getting the ball. Cambridge were great in the loose, and 11. P. Dinwiddy, J. H. Bowman, A. M. Rees, and J. R. C. Lord did wonders in neutralising the. lo.v; of the ball in the scrums. The All Blacks of 1924 will not forget their match at Cambridge, and I am inclined to think that if many of this Cambridge side are up again next year it will take New Zealand all its time to prevail. M. M. Cooper, the first Rhodes Scholar from Massey College, who distinguished himself by gaining his Oxford "blue" as a "freshman, worked very hard throughout the game, and was unlucky on at least two occasions in not adding to his side's score. Cambridge's win by 29 points to 4 was one of the most decisive ever recorded in the contest. At half-time Cambridge Ind 5_4, but in the second half, with the wind at their backs, they played irresistible Rugby. It was an exhilarating display, and one which promises well for the, standard of this year's international games.

The referee was exceedingly strict. No less than 25 penalty kicks were awarded, and it is clear that the All Blacks will require careful coaching in the English interpretation of the scrummage rules.