TOUR OF ALL BLACKS

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1924, Page 6

TOUR OF ALL BLACKS

GLOUCESTERSHIRE BEATEN SIX POINTS TO NIL TWO TRIES SCORED The All Blacks defeated Gloucertershire by 6 points (two tries scored by Donald) to nil. The match was played in atrocious weather. Twice Dailey nearly scored, knocking over the corner flag on each occasion. The play of the New Zealand backs was again faulty, defence being the best feature of the All Blacks’ play.

A HARD CAME. TEAMS PLAYED TO STANDSTILL. wet ball hampers backs. DEFENCE A STRONG FEATURE. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Sept. 26, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 25. The All Blacks played their fourth match at Gloucester to-day, defeating Gloucestershire by six points to nil. In face of considerable disadvantages the New Zealanders were not only successful in winning, but also in once more keeping their own line intact. The weather was atrocious, but notwithstanding this 20,000 people were present. The crowd took a lively interest in the play and were most demonstrative. The New Zealand team was as follows: Full-back—Nepia Three-quarters—Hart. Brown, Lucas. Five-eighths—McGregor, Nicholls. Half—Dailey. Wing-forward—Porter. Forwards—Brownlie, Richardson, Stewart, Donald, Cupples, Irvine, Harvey. SCORE COMES QUICKLY. The All Blacks lost the toss, but Gloucester mulled the kick off, and this enabled the visitors to take the aggressive, At an early stage Dailey reached the line, bat knocked down the corner flag. The All Blacks kept up their attack and within ten minutes Donald got over, Nicholls failing with the kick— All Blacks 3; Gloucester 0.

| scored by Donald, but Porter, who took the kick, failed to find the goad. The game then ended: All, Blacks 6 Gloucestershire 0 FORM NOT CONVINCING. The form of the All Blacks is still unconvincing and the critics consider they show want of coaching, which is responsible for the mediocre exhibition so far, compared with the New Zealand standard. Their defence, however, which was a doubtful quality when they left New Zealand, is now their best feature, but there is still a tendency to tackle too high. In to-day’s game the kicking of the All Black backs was without judgment, often misplaced and often too hard. This nullified chances of scoring.

The form of the team generally is regarded as insufficient to win .seflne of the heavy engagements before them. Dailey was the best back on the field to-day. The referee allowed only one mark in the whole game, though* the New Zealanders alone claimed four.

LINES STILL INTACT. RECORD OF FOUR MATCHES. CHANGES IN THE BACKS. BROWN MAKING GOOD. The All Blacks have now won their fourth successive match, and though the scores put up have been disappointing to many—so far they do not equal the total put up by the original All Blacks in one match—it must be conceded that tli'is year’s team has done remarkably well. Though one cannot expect them to go through without a defeat they can be depended upon to return with a creditable record. A striking feature is the splendid form shown by the team in defence. It was feared here that they would fail in this department, whilst there were many who were afraid they would make a poor showing in the wet. During the last two •matches they have been up against very strong combinations under wet weather conditions and have come through the ordeal well. Their line has not yet been crossed. From the English criticisms it appears that the attack of the All Blacks posesses shortcomings, but it can be expected that these will be overcome. It must l>e remembered that the backs are mostly young players, who will gain the benefit of experience, and while it is perhaps to he regretted that a coach has not accompanied the team, we must remember that up to the present the selectors have been experimenting with different combinations, and so far the inside backs have been changed each match. The forwards are apparently proving quite as good as was expected. Of the Taranaki iren Brown has played at every match, except the one with Gloucester, and apparently the Hawera Club man is rising to the occasion. Hart made his initial appearance against Gloucestershire, and apparently did not make use of his opportunities, but he is said to have been suffering from an injured hand and should improve. So far West has not been played, but his turn should come soon, and*before the tour concludes he will be found a useful man. RESULTS TO DATE. Versus Devon, won 11 to 0. Versus Cornwall, won 29 to nil. Versus Somerset, won 6 to nil. Versus Gloucestershire, won fl to nil. Played 4. won 4, lost 0. -Points for 52. against nil. i REMAINING MATCHES. ' September 27.—V. Swansea. October 2.—v. Newport. October 4i—-v. Leicester. October B.—v. North Midlands, at Birmingham. October 11.—v. Cheshire, at Birkenhead October 15.—v. Durham, at Sunderland. October 18.—v- Yorkshire, at Bradford October 22.—v| Lancashire, at Manchester.

Dailey was again thrown out at the corner flag, but almost immediately he* worked into position for a drop at goal and only missed it by inches, A penalty was then given aga’inst the local men for off-side and Nepia landed the ball over the bar, but the score was disallowed, as it had touched an opponent. At this stage the All Black forwards were dominating the game and confined play to Gloucester’s twenty-five, but Hart twice dropped passes that might have led to scores. ' The ‘New Zealand era’ line kicking was excellent, but the backs showed the same faults as in previous matches. They were deficient in the piercing qualities necessary to drive a score home and the passing was too wide and too much at random. COUNTY GETS THE BALL. Both sides were now playing a hard, non-scientific game. The* Gloucester -• _ .

forwards gained possession of the ball in most of the scrums, but their backs were not smart enough to take advantage of it and usually resorted to kicking for the line instead of trying to pass. The international players, Corbett and Pickles were conspicuous on the local side both in attack and defence. Towards the end a beautiful movement on the blind side of the scrum gave Lucas a good chance for a try, but at the critical moment the wet ball baffled him and he could not hold his pa*s. The final stages were tremendously hard and both teams played themselves to a standstill. Just at the close, however, the New Zealanders’ persistence wa« rewarded witlr try, again

October 25. —v. Cumberland, at Carlisle. November 1. —v. Ireland, at Dublin. November 5. —v. Ulster, at Belfast. November 8. —v. Northumberland, at Newcastle. November 12. —v. Cambridge University. November 15.—v. London Counties, at Twickenham. November 20.—v. Oxford University. November 22.—v. Cardiff. November 29. —v. Wales, at Swansea. December 2.—v. Llanelly. Decem'ber 6. v. East Midlands, at Northampton. Deiember 11. —v. Warwickshire, at Coventry. December 13.—v. Combined Services, at Twickenham. December 17.—v. Hampshire, at Portsmouth. December 27. —v. London Counties (second match). January 3. —v. England, at Twickenham. Between December 17 and 27 two matches will be played in France. .INDIVIDUAL SCORES. {Following is a summarised record of scores: — Goals From Other Potted Playei Tries Tries Goals Goals Cooke, A. E. 3 Parker, H 3 Mill, J 2— Donald, J. "2— Brown, H.W. ..1 2— Svenson, K.S. ..1 Brownlie, M. ... 1 Irvine, W.R. ..1 Nepia, G 3 — j