NORTH IRELAND BEATEN.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1924, Page 8

NORTH IRELAND BEATEN.

STRONG TEAM FIELDED.

VICTORY DUE TO BaCKS. London, Nov. 6. The All Blacks of 1924 won their fifteenth successive victorv by defeating North of Ireland, at Belfast on Wednesday, November 5, by the wide margin of 28 points to 6. The points were made up by five goals and one try to one penalty goal and one try. The New Zealanders have now scored 372 points, and 38 points have been scored against them. The North' of Ireland team, with three exceptions, was Jthe same side which represented Ireland in the first international test match played at Dublin on Saturday, November 1, so that the All Blacks were forced to meet a strong side. The match was played in fine weather and was witnessed by over 12,000 people. Among those present were the Governor of Northern Ireland, the Duchess of Albercorn, and Stir James Craig, the Lister Prime Minister.

The All Blacks owed their victory almost entirely to the men behind the scrummage. They were often held forward, and, in the loose as well as in the pushing, never quite gained the mastery over the Ulster pack. In the line-out the New Zealanders got the ball more often than did their ’opponents. The backs encountered robust and accurate tackling, but speed and clever passing turned the fortune of the game directly the ball reached the open. Their brilliant exhibition of handling often aroused the crowd to enthusiasm. ULSTER BEGINS WELL. Ulster began in great style, and, had they produced a better place kick, they would hardly have failed to take the lead. Repeatedly during the game the New Zealanders were penalised for various infringements, and from one of these penalty kicks, awarded soon after the kick-off, W. E. Crawfprd lost a good chance. J. B. Gardiner, too, made an unsuccessful attempt to drop a goal. From that point the play was very fast and open. .Steele made a great run which enabled Svenson to get dangerously near to the goal line before he was tackled. The home forwards broke away, following i»p a great dribbling rush by some excellent handling. The New Zealanders were held for a period, but a beautifully placed kick altered the course of the play, and Svenson was enabled to dash over to score a- try, which M. F. Nicholls converted. Later Irvine scored a try after gathering the' ball cleverly from a cross-kick, and Parker also got a try. Nicholls, in each case, placed a goal. For Ulster, G. V. Stephenson added to the list of lost chances when he failed with a penalty kick in a favourable position, but Crawford made better use of one just before half-time, when the score was 15—3.

In the second half Crawford took another kick, but the ball struck one of the goal posts. Splendid passing by the New Zealanders produced a try to Steele, and Parker added another. Nicholls failed to convert the first try, but was successful with the second place kick. Nepia cleverly set the threequarter line going once more, and Sven-

son scored a try that Nicholls converted. Ulster were holding their own in the actual play, and at last some of the finest Rugby of the match ended in H. W. Stephenson scoring a try that Crawford could not convert. AMAZING PROWESS. PRAISE FOR ALL BLACKS. UNWARRANTED QRITOSMc By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copy right* Received Dec. 17, 8.40 p.m. London, Dec. 16. Prominent members of the Olympic Association, with Lord Campden, Lord Caledon, General Kentish and Lord Harmsworth, entertained several All Blacks at luncheon. (General Kentish described the All Blacks as evangels of the Rugby world. They behaved like angels on and off the field, and their extraordinary prowess had amazed everybody. There had been overmuch criticism and too little eulogy of the All Blacks, who had attracted thousands everywhere. They had not lost one iota of their fair name, which was worth all the victories in the world. Mr. S. S. Dean (manager of the tram) said he refused to reply to criticism. It would not benefit Rugby, and the least said the soonest mended. Sir James and Lady Allen gave a reception dance in honour of the All Blacks at the Great Central Hotel. Fifteen hundred guests were present, including most resident New Zealanders, officials of the Rugby Union, the captains of the London t?ams, and many notable players. King George sat with Sir Jamed Alien at Saturday’s match against United Ser- | vices, at which His Majesty revealed [that he possessed a complete knowledge lof Rugby. He picked out the individual i All Blacks and was particularly taken with the physique and fine play of