The Waipawa Mail. FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 1938. A WONDERFUL RECORD.

Waipawa Mail, Volume LXVI, Issue 139, 19 August 1938, Page 2

The Waipawa Mail. FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 1938. A WONDERFUL RECORD.

depart for the moment from the

discussion of such serious matters as superannuation and public health service, let us congratulate the All Black team which returned to New Zealand yesterday with an unbeaten record of its Australian tour. After the reverses suffered at the hands of the Springboks last season, this result is eminently satisfactory and should go a long way towards restoring a feeling of confidence in the future of New Zealand’s national game. Just how significant the ran of victories is it is somewhat difficult to assess, in spite of the generous praise bestowed on the 1938 All Blacks by Australian critics, but there does appear to be good reason for concluding that at least some of the weaknesses that were apparent against South Africa have been remedied. That being so, the lessons taught last year, even if they gave rise to a certain feeling of despair at the time, have been well worth while. New Zealand this year has produced a set of hacks which may be compared favorably with the best combinations of the past, and the forwards, without producing another Brownlie or another

Porter, have played their part worthily. The high opinions which had been formed in this country of the All Black captain, N. A. Mitchell, have been confirmed on the Australian tour, and it is to be hoped that his services will be available for some years yet. He has proved himself an inspiring leader as well as a brilliant player, and for him the tour which has just concluded has been a triumph. In 1940 New Zealand will send a team to South Africa and in the building of this combination the experience gained in Australia will be invaluable. AVithout reflecting in any way on the strength of Australian football, it is almost certain that the opposition provided in South Africa will be more formidable than that encountered across the Tasman, but there is more reason for optimism now than there was at the end of last season. It has been shown that New Zealand has the players to form the basis of a firstclass combination, which should have every chance of turning the tables on the Springboks. In the meantime, wannest congratulations to the New Zealand sole selector (Mr McKenzie) are not out of place. The new system of selecting All Black teams wduld appear to have been amply justified by results.