THIRTY-ONE TO SIX.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 17 November 1924, Page 9

THIRTY-ONE TO SIX.

All Blacks’ Brilliant Victory.

DECISIVE DEFEAT OF LONDON COUNTIES. By Cable —Prose Assooia iion— Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 5.5 p.m., November 16.) LONDON, November 15. After their narrow victory against Cambridge University, tho All Blacks in their next match showed a wonderful return to form, and went even further, for in defeating the London Counties’ strong team, including several international players, by .11 t, 6, tho tourists gave their most exhilarating display and the best exposition so afforded at Home. I :ie All Blacks’ back division especially was obviously superior to their opponents in finesse, variety of attack and defence. The London lino was quite overshadowed. The forwards, too, were brilliant and tho outstandingly useful were M. Brownlie, Richardson, White, Stewart and Irvine. ;

Spectacular play was in plenty. Mill frequently setting tho whole back lino in motion to carry out beautiful and well executed rushes that pierced the most stubborn defence the Home team could offer. Every, man in the All Blacks’ rearguard showed that versatility was individual as well as in combination.

The Team. The team was a strong one, comprising :

Full-back: G. Nepia. Threequartcrs. A. Hart A. E. Cooke Iv. S. Svcnson Five-eighths : N. P. McGregor M. Nicholls Half-hack: J. Mill. Forwards: R. F. Stewart A. White J. Richardson R. Masters M. Brownlio W. R. Irvine Q. Donald J. H. Parker. \ Fine Weather j Soft Turf. On this occasion, the weather was fine, though dull, and the turf was soft and easy, conditions which apparently suited the visitors’ admirably. Forty thousand attended the match, which is the first to be played at Twickenham. Game Opens Vigorously. Early in the game London showed out in a strong attack, their forwards making headway with fast dribbling rushes. The New Zealanders’ retaliated witli some effective hack play, but the County 'men were soon within striking distance again, and it was only by a narrow margin fhat Richardson (London) missed scoring with a drop kick, which ho slightly misjudged. Nepia, relieved tho position, and with plnv transferred to London Counties’ territory, the All Blacks sorely tried the home team’s defence. Then Hart cleverly marked near the corner, and from a centering kick initiated an attack in which M. Brownlio dashed over by sheer pace and weight. Nicholls converted. The first score was not gained till the game had been in progress twenty minutes. New Zealand 5 London Counties 0 Home Team Leads. From tho kick off, Lawton (Queenslander) started a fine passing bout for London, which finished in Millar crossing at the corner, but the try was not converted. Not long afterwards, Wakefield picked up in the loose anil passed to the threeqnarters, the movement again ending with Millar, who put London ahead by means of a fine piece of work. His try was not converted. London Counties 6 New Zealand 5

All Blacks’ Superior Play. This was only tho second occasion on which the visitors have been led, the other time being in the game againsb Newport, but in this latter case tho lead was not held long, as the Now Zealanders by hal’d forward play transferred action to London’s territory where Brownlie crossed under tho posts. Nicholls easily converted. There was no further score by half time, hut momentarily tho superiority of the New Zealand combination was becoming inoro and more apparent. The backs were playing with beautiful precision, though tho forwards were still faced l>.v vigorous resistance both in scrums and in the loose. The first spell ended : New Zealand 10 London Counties 6 The Second Spell. After the interval, Parker played light wing tlircecpiartcr, improving matters materially by checking and defeating London’s efforts to score with their fleet backs. The visitors’ scoring commenced almost immediately. Parker cross-kicked to tho centre, Cooke secured and transferred to Svcnson, who finally passed back i., Cooke, and after tho finest piece of combined work, the fast Aiieklnndei scored. It was the gem of the match, Nicholls failed with the kick. Richardson (All Black) then fielded near tho line and passed inwards, Parker scoring after Brownlie, McGregor and Svcnson had ;i! handled. Nicholls again iaiiod with Ihe kick.

The next try was Richardson's, as the result of excellent opening 'work by Mill. M cGrogor and Nicholls, tho last■•nnmod converting. New Zealand 21 London Counties 6

Home Team Well Deafen. Tin l tourist« were now in charge < f tho game, am! it was only a matter rf how many points they would win by. London, however, did not let up, but the visitors’ vastly improved style of play was too effective for them. Taking a living pass at, top speed, Nicholls out through and ran almost, to the hue before lotto"' fo" 1 " i" in b"Rii under th- V-VI-” • Prom a >■ " 1 '' ' U’wton. Parker steui-u and from luili-nay

started a run which lie finished under the posts, for Nicholls to convert. There was no further score, and the game, in which delightful form was shown by the All Blacks, ended:

New Zealand 31 London Counties 6

[Tlie 1905 ream did not play this matell but played Surrey. Blaokheatb, Middlesex and Richmond separately The All Blacks beat Surrey by 11- 1 -, after a remarkable game, m which the referee’s whistle played a prominent part. The “Daily Mail.” m descnbmg the match, 'headed it ( \\histlmn Fantasia” by the Referee. Ihirtoen free kicks were given against the All Blacks in the first spell, and more would have been given had Ins condition lasted. The last game and the continuous blowing lor in nngements did their work, and the Blacks got - chance to score. The famous Blackheatb team was soundly trounced by .12—0, allhougn the side played eight internationals. The All Black team was: Lillett, Wallace, Smith, McG-ccor; Hunter, Stead: Roberts; Tvler, Casey. O’Sullivan. Cunningham Glasgow, Reeling, Johnson, GnllaKcr. Wallace had a day out, as lie scored three tries, converted four and kicked a penalty goal. McGregor (2), Glasgow and Stead aKo scored. . , Lieut. Basil Maclean, the Irish international, played for Bhiekbeath, and stated after the match Unit 11m All Bbwks were the best team he ever sow Tic attributed their successes to splendid organisation, perfect training and attention to tactics. Tte Richmond team was jT, a ,, <l bv 17—0, after a match in winch the All Blacks showed signs M staleness. Trios AV(?r« Sf"ve<-1 h'* A\ Jllhv-O . Hunter, Stead and Deans, but only ope w's converted. , , „ Middlesex was defeated bv 14-0. although vejjnvded as o Mro-g sale, on account of S’N- intc-n'd'OlP' s .'Y 1% ’ nvios we- obtained by S'mt.h Hunter (2), Wallace; Seeling and Deans., Wallace converting fi \t was tvohahlv a conduced tea™ from the above that the All B'aeks faced. Considerable intm-st wa« taken j,, this iv,atch as it was +l>e first ill tlm v'einitv of London, nod Die _ critics said it wmdd onVe e” i-d.oatum ft how Dm All Blacks "ill fare against an all-England team.!

BEFORE THE MATCH. DEFEAT OF VTCTTOT.fi THOUGHT LIKELY. Br ratio—Pra«a Association —Copyright. Australian ovi ns CAviation. LONDON, November 14.

The newspapers arc keenly discussing the New Zealanders first game in London to-morrow, against tho Combined Counties. . _ The London critics express opinion that the Home side will beat tho All Blacks in the scrums, but tho tackling and speed of the visitors are countcibnlnneing factors. Indications point to a soaked ground, on which the critics would not he surprised to see the visitors beaten, aftei their close escape in the mud against Cambridge.

THE 1924 TOUR

TTTNFBAT?Y OF THE ALL BLACKS Matches Played: Following arc the results of matches played with comparative scores, 1924 and 1905.

4:55—48 .172—18

Matches to Piay. November 20th--v. Oxford Varsity. November 22nd—v. Cardiff. November 29th-v. Wales at Swansea. December 2nd—v. HLi/xOhv. December Gill v. Fast Midland, at Northampton. . , . . December 10th—v. A\ arwiekshiro, at Coventry. . . . . , December 11th—v. Warwickshire, at Coventry (second match). December LSth-v. Combined Services, at Twickenham. December 17th-~v. Hampshire, at Portsmouth. December 27th-v. London Counties (second match). . , January ,‘i—v. Fngland, at J iiickenJammry’v. Frcnc-li International team, at Toulouse. . January v. PnrD team, at Paris

v. Devon .... \v 1924 1 1- 0 \v 1905 55—4 v. Cornwall . . . w 29-0 w 4 1 —0 v. Somerset • . W 0—0 \v 20—0 v. Gloucester . - \v 0- - 0 w 44—1| v. Swansea . \v 09 • o w 4—:] v. Newport . . . w 1.0 10 \v ()--.] 2 ft—0 v. Leicester • • w 27—0 \v v North Midlands \v 40—0 \v 21—5 v. Cheshire • • W 18—5 \v 04 —.0 w 40—7 w 10-—J v. Yorkshire . . . \V 42—4 w 40-0 v, Lancashire • . w 20-0 ' v. Cumberland . \v 41—0 v. Ireland .... \v 0—0 w 15—0 v. Ulster .... w 2ft—0 —' v. Northumberland \v 27—4 \v .02—-0 v. Cambridge . . w 5—0 IV 14—0 v. London Counties w 01—0