THE "ALL BLACKS." DEFEAT BY NEW SOUTH WALES

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13484, 26 July 1907, Page 3

THE "ALL BLACKS." DEFEAT BY NEW SOUTH WALES

(By F.H.)

Outclassed in every department of the game. This is the cruel verdict of Australians and New Zealanders. Hunter, to a Press reporter said : "We wera beaten from start to' finish." The Referoe said: "The visitors were out played, beaten both back and forward," and so I could go on. The humiliation of the New Zealanders, after the "All Blacks' " victorious tour round the world, is all the more striking. Thoy have come to Sydney to meet their "Waterloo. They got the greatest gruelling- they have ever had. There was NW South Wales actually demanding scrums, the game New Zealand prides herself upon, and to find the local men beating the visitors at what they profess to be strong at was one of the greatest surprises in the game. It is dreadfully galling to New Zealand enthusiasts* to iind the Cornstalks wiping out past scores by inflicting decisive defeat to the Maorilanders with the odds all against the New South Welshmen. Bravo! N.S.W., echoes throughout the football world. One asks what has become of all the brilliant passing and running of the backs and dribbling and clever footwork and dash of the forwards^ The answer is they found their opponents so swift, strong and clever that the onslaughts which were made upon them from start to finisft positively nonplussed them. There cau be no question but that the better team won, for it was a fair go, free from luck throughout. The "Blues" achieved a sweeping victory, came down upon the foe with terrible determination. Their tackling, lino kicking, passing, and judgment were all features of the game, and no defence of the "All Blacks" was strong enough to withstand the attack Of course the idol of the team was the much spoken of Messenger, son of the ex-sculler of that name. He played the game of his life. He tricked tha "Blacks" with astounding cleverness

His try was the culminating score <-f the match. Getting through forwards and many of the backs, three of the latter cut across to the corner flag to intercept him. Messenger saw there was ao hope of evading a heavy fall by attempting to pass all three at the one moment. Quick as the mind can think ho hesitated not a moment, but simply ;iew at the three backs and as they all crouched to grip him in their vices ne leaped over their heads and scored near the corner, from which he kicked a beautiful goal. It was Messenger, for no one else could accomplish such a feat. I warned readers of the Herald soim ume back that Messenger would be the thorn in their side, particularly on account of his kicking. What a picture it was to see him from the half-way flag place-kick a goal with absolute iccuracy on Wednesday.

Before closing I must say that the "All Blacks" plnyed as vigorous and vs hard and determined a game as eve r they did in iheir lives. There was absolutely .nothing lacking in all this, but it was just that they met a team whj completely outgeneralled them, and, painful as it may be to bear, my Ne'v Zealand friends must accept the defeat of their team as being one which was ">ot equal to that which New South Wales put into the field. This is *. stubborn fact, but you cannot cirounvent it. You cannot explain it away. It simply emphasises the statement that I made in the Herald before the team came across, that New Zealand would require to send the very best fifteen .jhe can claim to have if defeat was to be averted. The best team we are told was sent, and now it is written large : •'Rome has fallen."