ALL BLACKS’ TOUR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16819, 23 August 1922, Page 2

ALL BLACKS’ TOUR.

MOTES AND COiKNTS, FORWARDS MAGNIFICENT. BACKS POOR ON ATTACK. (Special to the “ Star.”) AUCKLAND, August 22. Mr S. S. Deans, manager of the All Black team, when interviewed on his return from Australia, said that he wont, away a pessimist, but returned an optimist, concerning the future of the Rugby game in Australia and New Zealand. The standard of play in New South Wales, he said, had greatly improved, and New Zealand must always regard the teams which represent the State as formidable foeineu. The visits of the Maori Rugby team and the AH Biack team had given the game such a kick-off in Sydney as it never had before, with the result that there was a great possibility of the Rugby game being reinstated in Queensland, where it had been allowed to drop. Referring to the New Zealand team’s defeat, Mr Deans told a reporter that New South "Wales had played splendid football-—never better, and thoroughly deserved their wins for the second and third test matches, the final of which was one of the hardest and most gruelling contests lie had over witnessed. In explanation of New Zealand's defeat, Mr Deans said we were beaten hy a bettor side, who jumped into the game from tlioutset with a gallop and never let down until the call of time. The New South "Wales forwards ere splendid, and more than held their own with the three-two-throe formation in the scrum, while the backs were brilliant, going at top speed on attack, running straight, passing and com bitting with rare certainty and decision. Of the New South Wales backs Noth ling (full-back), Pi ay mon d (wing threequarter), and Watkin (half-back) were singled out. for special praise as brilliant players. C oncerning the New Zealand players, the All Black forwards were magnificent, but they received no support from the backs on attack. As a truth, the display of the New* Zealand backs thioughout the tour was distinctly disappointing. The inside backs—fiveeighths and centre three-quarter—. were weak, lacking cohesion and any semblance of finesse on attack, with the result that the wings, Steel and Ford. or whoever it happened to be, were starved for the ball. With two inside backs like Fea, of Otago, and Ifwerson, of Auckland, there would have been a. different tale tc tell. Bell, the ox-Pirate and Otago full-back. played a splendid game as the last lino of defence throughout the tour. His fielding was faultless, his tackling deadly in its tenacity, and his long-range line-kicking superb. The trv he scored was a. clever and unique effort for a full back, running from ius position to give a beautiful dummy at the finish to score a brilliant try. Steel got few chances, but the few he did get he made the best possible use of. A purely attacking player. the ball nuistf.be sent out to him, and his neglect was due to the failures of the inside backs to cut in and make the

openings for the wings. With Fea or Jfwerson inside, Steel would have been at his best. V. Badeley, of Auckland, who got into the team as a utility player and for his place-kicking, was clean off his game, both as a player and a place-kicker. Great disappointment i> felt in Auckland over Badeley’s failure. as lie had boon performing well in club football prior to the All Blacks' departure. Ford, on the wing, was colourless, and Fitzgerald was not a success as centre when he played in that position Dickinson, the young Otago High School boy, played brilliantly at times, but was inclined to go too far on his own. and neglected to pass out to his wings. He is, however, highly thought of in Australia, and will be one of New Zealand's foremost backs in a. year or two. if he is not now. Mark Nicholls was not brilliant at five-eighths, but ho played a solid game. His placekicking was a feature, and he was the most successful in the long-lost. art. JI. Nicholls and Matheson shared the honours behind the All Blacks’ scrum, hut. putting the hall into the scrum and failing to get it from the All Black brokers, t-hev were frequently penalised for off-side play! This was an incident that frequently penalised the All Blacks, who were penalised on almost every occasion when the hall flashed out from the scrum l>efore the halfhack. after putting the hall in, had time to get round behind the pack to secure :t. The New Zealand forwards were fcfdendid, particularly the young son ->f Anak, Jock Richardson, who on all sides—New South Wales and New Zea-land-—was acclaimed the most brilliant forward ever seen in Australia, Seeling not excepted! This is praise indeed, and comes from the All Blacks from Mike Beilis, the skipper, right through to the diminutive Svenson, who was struck down by measles on arrival, and only got up a day before the team's departure. In this regard Svenson was singularly unfortunate. 1 saw Jock Richardson, and spoke to him about his play, which he assured me modestly was not all that it was cracked up lo be. But ask Jimmy Henderson, who will he well remembered by Rugby enthusiasts of a decade ago as manager of a New South Wales team. J.H.. who is a good judge, and knows his Rugby, states that no better forward than Richardson lias ever been sent to Australia. For the rest, Beilis played a great game as rover or wing forward; but the Sydney referees are “ out ” to kill the wing forward, and Beilis suffered the penalty. The All Blacks, according to the captain and manager, discovered a good “ lock ” forward in Williams, of Otago, and a splendid line-out player in Peterson, of Canterbury, who was one of the best in the team. Whyte, too, played well. Clippies and Brownlie, of whom much liad been expected, played well up o a certain point, but at critical moments threw chances away. All the members of the team are fit and well, but are of opmiou that the tour was unduly rushed—three gruelling test matches and two metropolitan contests being played in the course of a few* days. There is not the slightest doubt that those responsible for the arrangements of the test matches bungled badly, and /-'mo serious questions should be asked of tbe New Zealand Rugby Union. It is seriously suggested bv the manager of the All Blacks team that in order to avoid further trouble, and in viev. of the New South Wales visit next vear, a conference of New Zealand and New South Wales referees

should bo held to secure a uniformity m ruling Captain Beilis states that the disposal of the wing forward will probably necessitate the adoption by New Zealand of the 3-2-3 scrum formation like New South Wales. It has been suggested that the referee should put the ball in the scrum : but if this is carried to its logical conclusion there is no reason why the line umpires should not throw the hall out from the line-out!