RETURN OF ALL BLACKS

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1932, Page 9

RETURN OF ALL BLACKS

WELCOME AT WELLINGTON CONGRATULATIONS FROM UNION. "SENDING OF YOUTH JUSTIFIED.” CAPTAIN’S TRIBUTE TO THE TEAM. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Aug. 2. Looking happy, well and justifiably proud of the magnificent Bledisloe Cup the token of their success against the elect of Australia, the All Blacks returned by the Zealaudia from Sydney to-day. They met with a warm reception at Queen’s Wharf when they disembarked. Mr. G. Pownell, president of the how Zealand Rugby Union, was among the first to extend congratulations to the manager (Mr. W. J. Wallace), the captain (Mr. E. D. Kilby), and the remainder of the party. He was accompanied by the chairman of the management committee (Mr. S. S. Dean) and members of the committee of both the New Zealand and Wellington unions. Relatives and friends waited behind the barriers. In congratulating the team Mr. Pownell said it had been realised that New Zealand was sending away a young team that had not had a very great deal of experience in big match play, but ho thought the selectors had done a wise thing in choosing young blood, particulary in view of the proposed tour of Great Britain in four years’ time. The committee had shown wisdom in appointing Mr. Wallace to manage the team. “We knew that whatever there was m the team, he would bring it out,” he said. “This team-has had a very good trip and owes New Zealand a very great debt. I think they will acknowledge it, and I hope that when they go t.o their homes they will do their best to pass on their knowledge, not only to their own teams, but also to their opponents.” FASTEST FORWARDS TO TOUR.

In the course of his reply Mr. Wallace said the forwards were the fastest of any team that had gone to Australia, and the backs had improved out of sight. He paid a tribute to the work of the trainer and masseur, Mr. Syd. Muriay, who had to be thanked for the. fact that there was not one case of septic poisonin'* on the tour. Ho had been busy night and day attending to playeis. Kilby said: “New Zealand has every reason to be proud of these boys. Tills country is in the process of team buildin**, and by the time the English tour comes along we will have a very fine team.” , , All the team returned feeling fit except Proctor, who never sufficiently recovered from his knee injury, and concussion to be fit enough to give of Ins best. D. Max is still on crutches, but expects to be recovered soon. The high regard in which the team held Kilby and Steere, captain and vice-captain, was evident when the players met to make a presentation to each of the pair. The mementos were handed over by Mr. Wallace, who said the team recognised that in Kilby it had a first-class captain. The team had a great affection both for him and for Steere. They had sat with him on the selection, committee and had been very fair, their one object being to consider the best interests of the team. Kilby spoke highly of the support received from the members of the team. Off the field it had been wonderful, and on the field he could not. ask for a better side to lead. His instructions, which had. been only requests, had been carried out without hesitation. Steere also paid a tribute to the spirit that had existed among the players throughout the tour.

‘THIS IS A WONDERFUL TEAM’

TRIBUTE FROM THE MANAGER. OBSERVATIONS ON THE TOUR. Wellington, Last Night. “This is a wonderful team; the members have improved their game out of all knowledge,” remarked Mr. W. J. Wallace, the manager, in interview on the return of the All Blacks. “It is a pity they are' not having some more games just to let the New Zealand public see how the team has developed,” continued Mr. Wallace. “Really it as the same old story; the New Zealand public never sees a New Zealand team playing at its 'best. A team on tour always improves.” The manager paid tribute to Kilby who, he said, had proved to be a great captain, a greatly improved player and “quite a first class little coach.” Of Kilby’s play Mr. Wallace made special reference to that which enabled the captain to score in the third test. Kilby went round the “silly” side of a scrummage, sold a couple of “dummies” and finally scored. “It was Jimmy Mill at his very best,” the manager added. Steere had been a capable vice-cap-tain and a very valuable man in the training operations. Both he and Kilby were very popular with all; in fact the whole team had won much popularity. So far as the selection committee on tour was concerned there had never been a hitch; everything had worked smoothly. The keenness of every member of the team to engage in training was one of the features of the tour. “The beauty of the whole team,” said Mr. Wallace, “was its pace. Page improved wonderfully in pace, and so did others. Ball, Caughey and BullockDouglas were all pacy, and the training made them faster. Then, too, the forwards were very fast. McLean, Manchester, Cottrell and Hore are all fast forwards.”

The team played on some very hard grounds. The only soft ground experienced was when the team played its second match against New South Wales. The matches at Brisbane were played in summer-like weather.

Speaking of the standard of play in Australia the manager said there some very fine backs and individually some fine forwards. The forwards as a set, however, seemed to lack the “ginger” that the New Zealand pack developed after having played about three matches. Ross, Steggall and Malcolm were among the outstanding Australian backs, and there were several young players showing great promise. Spectacular play was the order of the three tests, and it was spectacular play the crowd wanted. One object was to keep the ball in play as much as possible. “Both on and off the field the members of the side were team-building,” said Kilby in paying tribute to the manner in which the members of the team had pulled together throughout the tour. He spoke in high praise of Mr. Wallace as

manager. Everyone knew Mr. Wallace was sincere in everything he had to sav. They knew ‘Billy’ meant what he said. The All Blacks were the guests of the Governor-General at an informal luncheon at Government House to-day. This afternoon they were entertained by the Commercial Travellers’ Club,