TEST FOR ALL BLACKS

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1935, Page 13

TEST FOR ALL BLACKS

MIDLAND COUNTIES GAME FORWARDS PRESENT PROBLEM. RADICAL WEAKNESS DISCLOSED. (By Air Mail—Special to News.) Coventry, Sept. 19. At the Coundon Road Ground at Coventry on September 19 New Zealand took the field against a strong forward team of combined Midland counties. This team, which is considered as heavy a pack as the All Blacks are likely to meet outside the International teams lived up to its reputation of being a hard proposition. New Zealand won 9-3 but many times during the day it looked like a beaten side. However, the Midlanders, like, the Westcountrymen last Saturday, did not possess that ability to run straight. Their forwards were great and many times were pushing at the New Zealand ■ line, but the backs did not have the scoring quality necessary. The opposing team was representative of Warwickshire. Nottingham, Lincolnshire, Derby and North Midlands.

The ground was swept by a strong cold westerly gale which ruled out any chance of spectacular goal-kicking, as it blew across the ground. The dust it carried with it must have hindered the players as well as the spectators. It certainly hindered the band. It is the custom in this country to amuse the spectators before the match, not by a curtain-raiser but by a band concert. To-day the wind played havoc with the bandsmen’s hats and music, much to the amusement of the people. At the southern end of the ground flew the New Zealand flag. Mitchell, Solomon and Sadler in the backs replaced Ball, Caughey and Corner. In the forwards there were several changes. At the opening of the game the forwards showed a vast improvement in the scrum but still packed 3-4, with Pepper this time the wing forward. Again in the second spell he went into the scrum. Pepper, as fit as a fiddle, was on the ball the whole time and apart from getting off side on one occasion he did nothing for which one could blame him. He went down in fine style. It is too early yet to choose between him and McLean, but the latter having more experience, naturally, I suppose, possesses more football brains. DALTON INJURED. Lambourne and Dalton both played very well. Dalton was obstructed on one occasion and in avoiding the offender he collided with another Midlander and received an injury which: troubled him all the afternoon. Manchester was the best of the forwards to-day. He worked like a nigger throughout both spells and as usual was a great asset in the line-outs. King helped him in this. Of Best and Adkins I did not see much. McKenzie used his weight to advantage and bullocked his way over the line to score a doubtful try. He was fed by Mitchell, who had previously knocked on. Midland, supporters wero up in arms over this but a section of them sportingly tried to drown the boos by claps. But there was something radically wrong in the forwards. Perhaps they are not acclimatised yet. Someone suggested loafing, but I saw none of that. They might have been outclassed; sometimes it loqked very much as though they were. The Midlanders hooked the ball .from. .the..majority of set scrums and their dribbling often bustled our men. For 10 minutes of the second spell New Zealand supporters on the sideline felt very sick. The score was only 6-nil and our team could not push ths Englishmen away from their line. Again and again the home team hooked the bail and again and again the ball went along their line of backs and they were unfortunate not to score half a dozen times. First Oliver saved, but it went back again. Finally Page relieved the situation by a beautiful kick with the wind which found the line well on the other- side of half way. But the ball continually came back. I think in the second spell the white jerseys had the better of the play. Gilbert cannot be blamed because he missed six shots at goal, including a field kick. It would have needed a super-expert to kick goals with such a strong cross-wind blowing. However, his play was by no means as sure as it was in Devonport. He was cool, at times too cool; once he almost let the fast winger Obolensky, a Balkan Prince, beat him for the ball. On this occasion Gilbert's weight carried Obolenski into the crowd, where he lay winded for a few minutes. HART’S SPEED DAZZLING. Hart could not go wrong. His speed was dazzling. Once he handled three times in a very fine movement which carried the ball from one line to the other. Again he received from Soloman to dash away, passing three Englishmen and covering three-quarters of the field before he was brought down almost on the line. The other winger, Mitchell, was not far behind him. He was fast and used a powerful fend which hurt and frightened his opponents. His two tries were good ones, due to speed and determination, He tackled hard and low, but on one occasion when he had two men to account for he hesitated instead of taking the man with the ball and so he got neither. Oliver often did the same thing that he did against Devon—crowded his wingers on to the side-line. Soloman, playing his first game, was nervous, and showed it. He did not make a bad show but persisted in cutting in and was more often than not caught in possession. He showed signs of brilliance, however, which may develop later, when he gets confidence and experience. Page again was indispensable. He went off with a limp and it was said he had tom a muscle in his leg and would not play for several matches. If this is so it is unfortunate for New Zealand.

Tindill may prove a good man. He will need to be, to be able to replace Page. The Wellington five eighth took the passes given to him, good or bad, high or low. He intercepted, snapped up dropped passes and did everything that a brainy player does. He would compare well with Mark Nicholls. The passes little Sadler handed Page were all good. This half-back looked a mere boy but played like a man. He went down to anything and the Midland forwards were no light weights. At times after getting the ball away from the scrum he came around and made an extra five-eighth. He needed speed to do this.

The English full back Harris retired during the second spell after an injury and a forward, Anthony, dropped back. Ten minutes later the original full back was on the field again but playing in the forwards. He was back in his old position before the end ’of the game and just on time kicked the only goal of the match—a penalty from a scrum infringement. The game ended with the score 9-3 and the visitors rather lucky. A crowd of about 17,000 to 20,000 came from all parts of England. Seats were booked from the Isle of Wight.' Leeds, Torquay and the Metropolis. The secretary told me every seat was sold a week before the match. The previous record crowd for

this ground was in 1929, when at the school boys’ international match it held 15,000. The 1905 team defeated Midland Counties 21 to 5.