ON THE EVE OF BATTLE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 115, 17 May 1930, Page 5

ON THE EVE OF BATTLE

BRITISH TEAM ARRIVES DIAMOND JUBILEE OF DOMINION RUGBY (By "CROSS-BAR”) It is sixty years ago since the game of Rugby was played first in New Zealand, and no for fitting commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee could be wished for than that accorded by the visit of the British team which arrived in Wanganui yesterday afternoon to make ready for the first match of what promises to be a memorable tour. There are few in the Dominion who have not heard something of the visitors, and the paramount ability they have as serummagers. A working downward from the victories of 1905 and 1924, to the more recent Rugby happenings of 1928, when New Zealand played “evens” with South Africa, and 1929, when the All Blacks lost all three tests against Australia, divides the public into three distinct groups—optimists, pessimists and those who seek a compromise.

Critics in the Homeland credit the team as being truly representative of the playing strength of the British Isles. Scotland, however, is not listed among the side officially. There is one Scotch International, but he is not the nominee of the Scottish Union, which has maintained a ‘‘dignified aloofness” when it came to a matter of sending a British team on tour. When the team was chosen originally it contained 24 International stars, W. W. Wakefield among the number. But several of them were unable to make the trip. England’s contribution to the backs totals to eight, five of whom have carried that country’s colours on the international field. There are eight English forwards, six of whom are internationals. In the five Welsh backs there are three internationals, and there are two international Welsh forwards. Ireland has sent one international back and four forwards of the same calibre, while Scotland’s sole representative is an international forward. The Captain. W. W. Wakefield was to captain the team as chosen originally, but he was unable to travel and the responsibility of leadership fell on F. D. Prentice. He is a back-of-the-scrum man, who has represented Leicester and England. He is thirty-three years of age, just one year older than Wakefield and he is the veteran of the side. Prentice served

in the Great war and was wounded. He played Association football prior to serving the colours. He is very strong and measures 6ft. 3in. He makes the most use of his weight and height and displays clever footwork. Scaling 14st 101 b he is something to contend with in the hard forward play. Other members of the team originally selected wh 0 were unable to make the trip are: M. P. Crowe, Irish International centre, and P. D. Howard, a fast working forward from Oxford University. H. Bowcott, a Welsh threequarter replaced Crowe and H C Jones, a forward from Lancashire took Howard’s place. D. A. Kendrow, English International forward, took Wakefield’s place.

Impressive Appearance. On arrival at the Veterans’ Steps in the Civic Square yesterday the visitors looked extremely fit and well. The big men of the team were in the lead and the eyes of the crowd focussed principally on Prentice and Beamish. These two international forwards stood out, perh .ps, but the whole team gave an impression of youthful virility that was good to see. They were happy Britishers to the life, and they had that Rugby look about them. One could picture a three-two-three scrum of big, hefty players like those on whom the Mayor (Mr W. J. Rogers) conferred the “freedom of the city” yesterday, a privilege the manager of the team, Mr J. Baxter, accepted so readily because, as he put it, “it might be useful to players who were so young.” The crowd appreciated the genuine spirit of goodwill expressed by Mr Baxter and by Mr Prentice the captain. * 'lt doesn’t matter what side wins,’* Prentice said. “We will endeavour to play the game in the way in which it should be played,’’ and the public applauded him. Dr. G. J. Adams, president of the New Zealand Rugby Union, appealed t<> Wanganui to set a lead in sportsmanship. He referred to the difficulty facing the Union regarding the colours of jerseys. He felt sure that, appreciating the position the Union and Mr Baxter were placed in, Wanganui would rise to the occasion and, no matter what the sentiment attached to the Dominion’s standard colours they would support the Union in taking the only course open to it. Again the crowd applauded.

Entertainment Programme During their stay in the city the Britishers will be quartered at Foster’s Hotel. This morning will be free, and they will indulge in a practice run. Tn the afternoon they will be the guests of the Wanganui Jockey Club at the winter race meeting. To-morrow the party will be taken up-river to Parikino where the Maori tribes, whose names date back to the legendary times when Egmont was believed to have scored a pathway to the coast, will honour a generation descendant from the Great White Queen of those days. The trip up-river is for the official party and will not be a public function. On Monday the team will be taken for an observation bus tour, and, on Tuesday, they will be the guests of Mr G. F. Moore at “Bushy Park,” Kai Iwi. On Wednesday the big match will be played on Cook’s Gardens, the kick-off being timed for 2.30 p.m. That night the visitors will be entertained to dinner at Foster’s Hotel and on the following morning they will depart by the 8.20 a.m. train for New Plymouth, their next match taking place at Pukekura Park next Saturday. The Wanganui Side. The Wanganui team assembles at Spriggens Hotel to be ready for practice on Monday morning. The country members will be playing in cup games on Saturday and intend to arrive late on Sunday night. There are many who are pessimists from the word “go.” They look to nothing short of biting of the dust so far as New Zealand is concerned. They point to Britain’s might in the van, and they bewail rules, selectors, grounds, weather and every other item suitable to their mood, to cry that a sound defeating of the AH Black is at hand to be administered within his own stronghold.

They are countered by those who have never lost faith from the days of 1905, who bore up through the hard times of 1928, when Maurice Brownlie led his men back to the same level at South Africa at that memorable clash at Capetown —the last test. They never allowed their faith to waver even when Autralia proved better in the tests of last year.—Optimists all the way. But the bulk of the Dominion’s public is numbered midway between these two. They are neither pessimists nor optimists, but seek a compromise of the two extremes. To them the visit of this British team means a knitting closer of the bonds of Empire, and the strengthening force in that process is the game of Rugby. Sixty years ago it was first played in New Zealand. It was a mere rough and tumble, with waving flags and flying feet. * But the same animation was there then as is manifest to-day. The spirit of the game spread itself, gripped the Dominion and the All Black colours went up to the irwfhead.- Now, on the eve of a Hom-

eric struggle with Britain the vast bulk of the Dominion’s population will look for a true playing of the game which the years have nationalised and given an Empire status. Pine Physique. Big strapping chaps these Britishers, youthful and full of life. They took Wanganui by storm yesterday and, despite their long voyage and the cramped conditions of shipboard, they looked fit. After a run or two between now and next Wednesday they will take the field in very fair condition to settle down and find the right type of combination. Youthfulness is a feature of the team as a whole. Just a casual glance is sufficient to reveal that they are younger than most players of international status. Of the 29, 22 are internationals, eleven of them having represented England, five Wales, five Ireland and one Scotland. The other nine have been runners-up for international honours and have played in the various trials when the selection of national fifteens has been under way.