NEW ZEALANDERS MADE POOR SHOWING IN WELSH 'MATCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18057, 18 January 1927, Page 4

NEW ZEALANDERS MADE POOR SHOWING IN WELSH 'MATCH.

(Special to tho "Star.”) HARROGATE (Eng.), Dec. 5. The twenty-third match of the tour was against Wales at Pontypridd, Wales, yesterday, .and it was memorable in many wavs. Fortunately for everyone the trains in England are now normal, commencing from to-mor-row. A Long Trip. This journey from Harrogate to Pontypridd, coupled with our match with Pontypridd at that, place on Christmas Day next, will *be the two longest journeys of the tour. It -was necessary to leave Harrogate last Friday at 12.19 to play the match. The journey was via Leeds, Stockpool, Crewe, Newport, and Cardiff. Tho train stopped some considerable time at Cardiff, and the opportunity was taken for an hour to view that city. After a tiresome journey we. arrived at Pontypridd at 10.10 p.m., an eight hour ride. The returning home was even more wearisome, for we left Pontypridd at 5.50 p.m . and did not arrive at Leeds until 2.45 in the. morning, catching a chara. there, arriving at Harrogate at 3.45 a.m. Rugby League in South Wales is rapidly making strides. At one time to even attempt commencing a League game there, with strong centres at Newport, Cardiff, and other places quite handy, would be scoffed at. However that day has passed, and the first season in the Northern Union League competition, the Pontypridd Club is doiitg remarkably well. Within a radius of twelve miles there are over a million inhabitants, and their ground is one that they have a right to be proud of. It is situated at Taff Vale Park, in the centre of the city, and has a capacity of 40.000. The sum of £660 was taken at our match there yesterday, which brings the total aggregate for twentj'-three matches to £12,663—an average of £550. Worst Display.

Fortunately the clerk of the weather smiled on the match, and it kept fine during our stay in Pontypridd. Danny Ilurcombe, who was a member of the Efiglish touring sides to Australia and New Zealand in 1920-24, captained the i Welsh team, which contained many internationals as Jim Sullivan, Evans, I and Co. Gregory played full-back for I w Zealand, Dufty being stiil on the injured list with a strained ligament. Gregory is playing brilliant football, but the more I see of him the more I am convinced that with his eel-like wriggle in which he extricates himself from tackles and works his way through his opponents, his safe pair of hands, his solid defence, he would be an ideal first five-eighth, the position that has been the hardest to fill satis* factorily on this tour. Wales won by 34 points to S, and thoroughly deserved their victory. There was no necessity for the crowd to do their usual burst into “Land of My Fathers,” and rarely was the voice of one barracker heard. At no stage, of the game did the New Zealanders look like winning, and it was certainly their worst display of the tour. Question of Rules. An interesting decision, and one that I understand affects the final of a game at Auckland this season, was given the other day. A player when kicking for goal, the ball hits ground after it has been kicked, and then bounces over the goal posts. The referee in the match in question ruled ‘‘No goal.” This decision is ruled on this side officially as ‘‘No goal.” An important meeting of the English Council is being held next week, at which the lifting of the two years’ residential qualification, so far as it affects Union players, will be finalised. No decision has yet been arrived at, but as predicted in a previous batch of notes, although New Zealand and Australia have expressed themselves against withdrawing this clause, it seems a certainty that the English Council will eliminate it. The position has been further complicated inasmuch as the Wigan Club’s request to the council to call a special meeting of the clubs to consider the whole question, which naturally involves the two years residential qualification affecting League player also. Offer to Players. The majority of the clubs here favour the lifting of the ban on both Union ancl League players, and the' council ’ will find it very hard at their next

annual meeting to keep it there, for at the last annual meeting the clause came near being erased. The result of the December 15 meeting is being anxiously awaited by all clubs. Several offers have been extended to New Zealanders to return should the ban be lifted. At the last meeting of the council it was also decided to leave the making of the arrangements for the Paris match until this meeting also. A complication has now arisen as a request has come from Ireland to play a match in Belfast in January. Should the Belfast game eventuate, it is unlikely that the Paris match will take place on January 23. Sailing for Home. The New Zealand team will leave England for home definitely on January 28, via Suez, on the Cathay, which arrives in Sydney on March 10, leaving next morning for Auckland. RECORD OF TOUR The following is the record for the 23 matches played to date:— Points Gate

For Agst. i V’. Dewsbury . 13 9 065 . 23 10 540 v. Halifax . 13 10 1034 v. Rochdale . 11 9 586 v. Barrow . 10 ir, 477 . 15 5 460 v. England . 20 28 1650 . 19 11 269 v. Warrington ... 5 17 608 v. Rramlev . 35 12 82 v. Hull . 15 13 857 V. Bradford . 38 17 275 v. Oldham . 10 . 13 11 269 . 14 28 560 . 18 10 230 w Huddersfield ... . 10 12 370 v. England 21 592 v. W. Highfield ... . 14 2 v. Batley . 17 v. Keighley . 21 . 14 640 v. Wales . 8 34 660 - ...ijuLjJ - 370 313 £12,663