FOOTBALL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8984, 18 July 1907, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

THE 'ALL BLACKS'" DEFEAT. (Tho full cabled report of the play will be found on page 1.) PRESS CRITICISM. United Press Association — By Electric Telegraph — Copyright. (Received July IS, 9.17 a.m.) SYDNEY, July 18. The " Sydney Morning Herald " saA-s that the New South "Welshmen fought, like men possessed, but all the time played consummate football. They invariably got the maximum of effect. To the forwards belongs the honour oi lowering the historic banner of tin- sil ver fern. Describing the New Zealanders' efforts to relieve the position, die "Herald" says: "If they playod strenuously before, they did so doubly now they realised the task ahead, b it they also realised that the game simply had to bo won. With all their gloiiou* traditions at the back of them, they bent every ounce of muscle, every iota of brain power, but they counted without their hosts, and the crowd went well-nigh frantic when they realised that the Blues were showing themstil^is a bettor team, and that the dreaded eecond-half runaway of the mighty All Blacks was no'- to be, and thenceforward the match went on amid continuous cheering. There perhaps has m-ver been seen on the ground such enthusiasm as when tho conquerors oi rhe great All Blacks returned to the pavilion." (Received July 18, 9.25 a.m.) SYDNEY, July 18. The "Telegraph" says:— "lt was a sweeping victory. The Blues raked the enemy fore and aft. It was a contest in which the strong man at last found his hold on his reputation weakening, and his grip of confidence weakening as against his adversary, and the end of it all was that the spoils went the opposite way. The game was contested in an admirable spirit from the outset. Slowly but surely it went the way of the home team, whoso combination was sound, its tackling deadly, its linefinding accurate, and its judgment excellent. And what of the losers? They showed as much skill as on the previous Saturday, and played as vigorously up to a certain point as ever, but they were outgeneralled, even as they had previously outgeneralled others in the past, and were outplayed. in all the departments of the game. The one thing that stood out in the visitors' play was the grit they showed in the face of adverse circumstances. That they lost was due to no want of energy or perseverance." Murnin, the New South Wales captain, attributed the victory to their line-kicking. Speaking subsequently at the reunion of the teams, Mr Wylie, the New Zealand manager, congratulated the New South Welshmen on their victory, which they honestly deserved. Hunter, the New Zealand captain, declared that every New Zealander would admit that tho better team had won. Mr Wylie, interviewed, admitted that the New Zealanders were fairly and squarely beaten at their own game. He had never seen such an exhibition of back play by the New Zealand or interprovincial teams. The New Zealand backs were at sixes and sevens, the forwards did not last as long as those of New South Wales, and the backs did not support them.