STILL UNBEATEN

Taranaki Daily News, 19 December 1924, Page 8

STILL UNBEATEN

all blacks win again. DEFEAT OF HAMPSHIRE. TWENTY-TWO TO NIL. COMBINATION TOO GOOD, Th* All Blacks added another vic.ory to their brilliant record by defeating Hampshire by 22 points to nil. The first spell was characterised by very hard and close play, Hampshire several times attacking. At the interval New Zealand had scored two tries, one of which was converted. Hampshire were compelled to play a defensive game in the second spell, the unfailing combination of the All Blacks being the deciding factor. By Telegraph—Press Association. London, Dec. 17. The All Blacks defeated Hampshire >y 22 points to nil. The match was played on the Association ground. Portsmouth. There was a crowd of 15.000, which encroached within five yards of the lines. The New Zealand team was: Full-hack—Nepia. Three-quarters—Hart. Lucas and Sveneon. Five-eighths —Cooke and McGregor, Wing - f orwa rd—Pa rker. Half—Mill. Forwards—lrvine. Donald. Harvey, M. drown lie, West, White and Cuppies.

The All Black? lost no time in penetrating Hampshire’s territory, setting up a Lot attack on the home team's line right from Parker’s kiok-off. Twice MdGregor nullified the chances of scoring by dropping passes, and it was not long before the Hampshire forwards spiritedly took up the challenge and carried play on to the All Blacks’ line. Twice Mill relieved critical situations by finding the line with long kicks and then, after these early exchanges of desperate attacks had died down, play became slower, mainly owing to the heaviness of the ground, and resolved itself into a dour, dogged struggle between the packs of forwards. In the first half of the spell Hampshire easily held their own. and in several attacking movements the old international half, Kershaw, was conspicuotfc. Once the international wing-three-quarter. Hamilton-Wickes, made a brilliant run, gaining much ground, and then the Irish international. Stephenson, similarly threatened to break through the New Zealand defence, but Nepia was equal to the test.

After half an hour's play Mill set the New Zealand backs in motion and the ball went out to Svenson, who passed on to Donald, and the AD Blacks hooker got over. Nepia failed to convert. New Zealand 3 Hampshire 0 -Just before the interval Cooke and Parker figured in a brilliant dribbling rush, and the former crowned a splendid effort with a try, which White converted. The score at half-time was B—o.8 —0. So far the play had not been brilliant as a whole, but very hard and very close. When play was resumed after the interval Hampshire set up two valiant attacks and carried play right on to the New Zealanders' line. but. after a splendid encounter, they were repulsed. Cook.e breaking through with the ball at his toe. dribbled 50 yards down the centre of the field, and. as a result of the advantage thus gained. McGregor got over to score in a good position. White missed with the kick . New Zealand II ■Hampshire 0

The New Zealanders' combination now oegan to assert itself, and Hampshire were compelled to play a defensive game. Cooke narrowly missed dropkicking a goal, and Hampshire were next in danger when their forwards were penalised for off-side play. Nepia kicked a magnificent goal almost from the touch-line. New Zealand 14 Hampshire o At this stage a heavy fog enveloped die ground, and it was exceedingly difveult to distinguish the players. The continued to lx? fought on the Hampshire line, the All Blacks never ’ up. Mill sent out a swift pass io Svenson on the blind side of the ? rum, and the Wellington three-quarter dashed over in the corner. Nepia failid with the kick. New Zealand 17 -Hampshire ' 0

The next score was the result of a drhghtfui interchange of passes between Mi*’. McGregor and Svenson, and eventually cored a try from which Nepia kicked an excellent goal. New Zealand 22 Hampshire O Toward-, the close the fog increased in density, and it became ultimately quite impossible to pick out the plavers. Several times the ball was lost and play was momentarily held up for that realon. There was no further score, the jfame ending: New Zealand 22 Hampshire O The All Blacks unfailing combination vac the dexiding factor of the game, lampshire performed well individually. Che visitors' were penalised only twice luring the whole game. White, who captained the All Blacks, retired in the closing stages owing to the re-occur-rence of shoulder trouble after plaving a magnificent game.

Among others who were prominent were Donald, Ctrpples, Brownlie, Cooke, McGregor and Svensson. In thi? match the Ail Blacks passed the aggregate of 60S points of the first African team of 1906. and their record * now second only to their redecessors’ >f IWS. _«AMi*SHIRE PLAYER INJ I RED. Received Dec. 18. 5.5 p.m. London. Dec. 17. In the course of the All Blacks’ match Orre, the Hampshire wing-for-ward, was hurt and he retired.

TWENTY-SIX VICTORIES.

ONLY TWO MORE MATCHES. The All Blacks have now played twenty-six matches and have won them all. A total of 609 points have been scored by the team, while S 4 points have been scored against them. The All Blacks now have only two more matches to play to complete their British programme, viz., London Counties and All England.. Before playing the former, whom they have already met and defeated by 31 points to 6, they will have a spell of ten days, the match taking place on December 27. Then after a further week’s spell comes the final- test match against England on January 3. AH enthusiasts will be anxious to see the All Blacks defeat England, and so gain the'coveted triple crown. The 1905 All Blacks defeated England by 15 points to nil. four tries being scored by McGregor and one by Newton.

RESULTS TO DATE. Versus Devon, won 11 to 0. Versus Cornwall, won 29 to 0. Versus Somerset, won 6 to 0. Versus Gloucestershire, won 6 to 0. Versus Swansea, won 39 to 3. Versus Newport, won 13 to 10. Versus Leicester, won 27 to 0. Versus North Midlands, won, 40 to 3. Versus Cheshire, won 18 to 5. Versus Durham, won 43 to 7. Versus Yorkshire, won 42 to 4. Versus Lancashire, won 23 to 0. Versus Cumberland, won 41 to 0. Versus Ireland, won 6 to 0. Versus Ulster, won 28 to 6. Versus Northumberland, won 27 to 4. Versus Cambridge, won 5 to 0. Versus London Counties, won 31 to 6. Versus Oxford University, won 33 to 15. Versus Cardiff, won 16 to 8. Versus Wales, won 19 to 0. Versus Llanelly, won 8 to 3. Versus East Midlands, won 31 to 7. Versus Warwickshire, won 20 to 0. Versus Combined Service®, won 25 to 3. Versus Hampshire, won 22 to 0. Played 26. won 26; points for 609, against 84. REMAINING MATCHES. December 27—v. London Counties (second match). January 3 —v. England, at Twickenham. January 11 —v. a representative French team at Paris. January 18—v. France, at Toulouse. INDIVIDUAL SCORES. Following is a summarised record of •cores:— Goals From Other Potted

I Player Tries Tries Goals Goals TL i Nicholls, M. 2 29 5 2 87 Nepia, G. 27 4 —* 66 I Hart, A. H. 18 1 56 [ Steele, J. 16 - • 1 52 Cooke, A. E. I'6 48 i Svenson, K. S. 14 42 I Parker, H. 12 36 [ Mill, J. 9 3 33 White, A. 3 7 23 Richardson, J. 7 21 ! Lucas, W. 7 21 Brown, H. W. 5 2— 19 Brownlie. M. 6 —■ 18 Irvine, W. R. 5 15 McGregor, N.P. 5 15 Donald. J. 4 — 1 12 Porter, C. G. 3 9 Brownlie, C. J. 3 —•— 9 Masters, R. R. 3 — 1 9 Stewart, R. L. 2— 6 Oupples, L. F. 1 ■. — 3 West, A. H. 1 ~ 8 Pobilhard, A. C. I - —• 3 Paewai, L. 1 —i —•— 3