“NO MORE OF IT!”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17410, 12 December 1924, Page 10

“NO MORE OF IT!”

LESSON FOR ALL BLACKS. TEAM UNFORTUNATE WITH INJURIES. Interesting’ news concerning the AH Blacks up to the time of their first international match, is contained in a letter from a prominent member of the team to Air E. Little, the member of the New Zealand Rugby Union who managed the team on the preliminary tour fo Australia. A reference to C. E. O. Badeley may be accepted as an explanation of that pjayer’s selection for only two matches. “Ces Badeley’s knee comes up after every game, and stays up.” the letter states. It is pointed out by Mr Little that Badeley is probably suffering from the same trouble as that which he experienced in Sydney during; the preliminary tour. Badeley s knee swelled up on the morning aftei the first match with New South Wares and the player did not take part in any further games, the knee being affected a week or ten days, during which time it was treated. The letter to Mr Little also states that the team had been unfortunate vith injuries, all the backs having been hurt more or less. The players affect ted were all recovering rapidly, except chat Munro was practically finished with a displaced cartilage. Porter's absence front the team against Ireland was due to the fact that in the Cumberland match ho sustained another injury to the knee, though not of a Serious nature. The captain was not playing up to the form he showed in Australia. Ron. Stewart was sent to a nursing home two days before the match with Ireland. He was suffering from pleurisy, though not in a bad form, as it was caught, in time. Of Stewart as a. player the writer says : ‘He is a boy who will come buck our best forward. He is going great guns!’ M. Brownlie was said to be still going as strong as ever, and “ Son ” White had gained fame as a goal-kinker--five goals out of six attempts; Xepia. was then not in form with his kicking, and Mark Nicholls had been suffering from ankle and knee trouble, and could not take the kicks. "The opposition has been weak so far.” says the writer. "Newport ravens .1 I >it of a shock, but we went out and .ook them too cheaply after Swansea and consequently the result. It taught us a lesson—more of it ! It. was a treat to heat Cumberland, the champion county last year. The papers were full of our downfall at the hands of C umberland. Our hoys went out and floored the Cumberland team back 'and forward the whole game. We stuck on six tries in the last twenty minutes.”