FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1924, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

ALL BLACK TEAM. “LOOK FOR INSIDE BACKS.” “ENGLISH STANDARD OF PLAY GREATLY IMPROVED.” BEST TEAM jHUST GO. (By a Well-known Ex-Player.) The near aproach of the Rugby season prompts a recent visitor to London to make what he hopes will be a few helpful comments on his experiences of the game on the other side of the world. Tn doing so it must be borne in mind that the writer has not seen any Rugby in New Zealand since the 1921 season—the year the Springboks visited us —and therefore there needs to be taken into consideration that measure of improvement in the game that has been born of a further 'two seasons’ play. It would be readily admitted by all followers of the game that the 1921 season undoubtedly showed a falling-off in the standard of Rugby in New Zealand. We are rather prone to look for other reasons, but even in 19121 we had not overcome the that the war had on our national game, and one felt that in the Springboks we had at least on the rUn o>f the season’s play met our equals. If one were to measure the British teams of 1923-24 against the 1921 New Zealand standards of play, then unhesitatingly it could be said that there would not be very much between the two. Maybe the improvement in the New Zealand play over the past two seasons would just about leave a balance on our side, but (and this is my main point) nothing should be left undone to send to England the very best side available, thus endeavouring to do our best to uphold our reputation on the Rugby field. WEAKNESS AT SCRUM. Taking a line through the play of the British teams I have seen, I would at once say that the forwards all round are a very good lot. The English forwards I saw at Twickenham in 1923 against Wales, were, to my way of thinking, as clinking a team as one would wish to see —good scrummagers, and very dashing and fast in the loose. In the latter department of the game they were as good as any All Black team I have seen, but the scrummaging perhaps lacked the same sense of cohesion we witness here. Still they would take a lot of beating. Individually the backs too, were good, but the weakness here, to my mind, was the adhesion to the old scheme of the scrum half putting' the ball in the serum. Whilst at Home they have always looked askance at the idea of wing-forwards, itatill seemed to me that the two scrumhalves were just as prone to obstruct each other as the wing-forwards. Then, too, the scrum-half is at a disadvantage of not being in his place when the ball is heeled out smartly —which is seldom the case—with the result that his passes to the first five-eighths or outside half are generally rather wild, except in the case of men like Kershaw and Delves, where playing so often together creates a complete understanding. HOW THE BACKS PLAY. Then, too, in the back play there seems to be one great desire —get the ball out to the wing-threequartera at all risks. There did not seem to be any great enterprise on the part of the inside men to cut through, except on obvious occasions when the openings were presented to them. I remember so vividly, in the England v. Wales match, that Corbett, of Bristol, did cut through once or twice, but had the bad luck ito be caught with the ball. Next morning the papers dubbed him the worst back on the English side, and he : was literally drummed out of the inter- . national team. Personally I thought he i was the best back on his side, and I • see in this year’s first trial match Cor- ! bett is included, and his form highly ' spoken of. I just quote this incident as I descriptive of the style of play that is i expected. We want a great side Home j this year to uphold the reputation i established by the 1905 All Blacks, I think the forwards will be well matched, and that—hot so much in i the international matches, but in some </f the club games—we should see some great fights. Our backs, if clever and nippy, should prevail. The centres will be the pivotal points on which the team will swing—we want ; some budding Morry Woods, Billy ’ Steads, or Jimmy Duncans, and perhaps others one could name, and then we should see our All Black team of 1924 come back with a fine record. I repeat, however, we should not think Of such an all-conquering tour a*s 1905, for the British standard of play has greatly improved, but there are many at Hume who are gracious zenough to say that they learnt all they know about Rugby from our 1905 champions. It is hoped that the coming visit will spell equally good results, for one would dearly like to see Rugby with an amateur atmosphere receive a well deserved boost. CLOSE GAMES CERTAIN. Whilst the bigger international games I saw at Home did not, because of the results hanging on them, produce the best play, 1 did udtness some very delightful "displays In some of the club games, and it "is in these latter opponents that 1 think that the All Blacks will find strong opposition, even to the ' extent of very close games—perhaps, j one would say, a loss or two. If this did happen, and we had to lower our flag to a better team, I am .sure no one would grudge such victories—giving, as they would, a great filip at Home to a great game. My advice is, search thoroughly for our very best team, and o-penally"look for clever inside backs, in whom, it is my view, will be the secret of success. NOTES. I What’s happened, to those smashing, 1 crashing Rughy forwards which Scot- : land used to muster to the terror of I other international teams who had to face them? For the feature of the ' matah in which France defeated ScotI land by 12 points to 10 was the manner in which the French van stood up to and crumpled the dreaded Scottish mastery in the serums, and had speed, fitting in with many passing rushes. No wonder football lotteries flourish in the Old Country! At Aberdeen WilI liam Jamieson, a bookmaker, who con--1 ducted a printed sheet called Jamieson’s I Weekly, containing football coupons I for a "lottery, was stated to have mode 1 £575 a week out of the business. Ab a deterrent he was fined £100! The mail also brings particulars, of a case at Ryhill where a cycle -repairer who made" more than £5O a week out of a lottery wa» fined £25.