1935 ALL BLACKS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 246, 17 October 1936, Page 4

1935 ALL BLACKS

TRIBUTES TO SPORTSMANSHIP STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES “RUGBY ANNUAL” ARTICLE A generous yet critical appraisal of I the strength and weaknesses of the 1935 New Zealand Rugby team which toured Great Britain is contained in the editorial section of the “Rugby Football Annual” for 1936-37. While pointing to the lack of success of the 1935 team—compared, of course, with the remarkable performances of its predecessors of 1905 and 1924—the annual refers gratefully to the fine spirit in which the teams met and the happy nature of the tour as a whole. “The New Zealanders were far too good sportsmen to accuse themselves by making excuses,” the editor says. “They recognised their own weak spots but they preferred to talk oi the strong points of their opponents. The latter, for their part, preferred to think less of facts and figures than the excellent spirit in which most of the matches were played. “The very few exceptions to this pleasant rule, it should be granted at once, were due to an excess of local keeness and the scarcity of good referees. The restraint of the New Zealanders on these occasions was admirable. Indeed ,of the whole party of 29. only two—one back and a forward—seriously offended against Ihe rules. Calculated obstruction was the j sin. and then was committed on only a few occasions. As some of the home sides offended by the way in which they inserted the ball info the scrummage we should feel suitably humble in dealing with such delicate subjects. Wing-Forward Retires “The main point was that the tour was a happy one for all but, the. unlucky ‘crocks’ and. perhaps, one or two others of the touring party who apparently could justify themselves as players. One can hardly hope that even those unfortunates felt at home in the best sense of the word. And may one add without patronage that the management of the team, if not above criticism, was above reproach. | Mr. Meredith was a man of courage and character, mostly invisible but charming. New Zealand, like GretfY Britain, however, is apt to ignore the value of strong captaincy on the field of play. “Broadly speaking, after a promising start at Devonporf, which, however, proved a Pyrrhic triumph—in its two key men. Page, the first liveeighths. and Hadley, the hooker and soundest forward, were badly injured the third All Blacks were in danger of losing much of the preHige that serves all touring sides so well Happily, the disturbing >:nd somewhat unexpected sight of the so-calied winning wing-forward, operating as an extra scrum-half, ended with thesecond match. In answer to friendly protests the ‘obstructionist,’ as Britain will always regard him, was withdrawn into the sorummare U halftime on each occasion. Undoubtedly this contributed to a pleasant tour. Limitations of Attack “The next surprise was the decision to use the 3-4-1 pack formation when at least three things were evident: <1) that the theory of the converging shove to lock the front row was not , applied: (2) that the except’onai weight of the South Africans, who often were able to ‘walk over the ball' was not there; (3> that Ihe 3-4-1 formation seldom was exploited as a quick-heeling machine. “No less important was the fact that, with Page a casualty, the back play sadly lacked the essential straight I running and drawing power at first ■ five-eighths. Oliver conceivably might ■have remedied the defect, but' he was ■used as a centre except against Wales, H|hen he took the place of the injured ■aug’ney at second five-eighths. Oliver the most constructive of the but much of his work was by having to mako openings three-quarters line instead oi Cauchey, a luniuu finc bul liable Io ho hy close marl; ing an<l scored some firsl-class he was not a confrudivo the full sense of the words', became lhe first five-cigh! h - up of the rolling ball ax under pressure could bur .I!-,-improved upon. In ail k , th. penc'raf b, r -.■dw.-.-biillianee of the old ,ii| was mere shruTw oi for example. fid oner Bippr-d the b;.d penod of ibr in the lom ;.w.i <• confidence of !iv> iuad-.s. mor.wur- ■■ their part and then t>w third All i-b.o'.-. (■:' xer - v iiub-oL Iho end losl bis |la <■ to w ho failed, in a f ' ,!l1 ' r '''' ll v ; '' h "" "i Solow Di' jc:"i c ’ : ' ! to be a pnrw-‘i'<t i"<Zealand j. a I n '' '<"'3"’ 1 ■ ! ' l "”‘ I o!ho’’ II <-!■ ' ba I th--' n m, ’“ n I <’ ■ bina -a";. 1 ■ l-1 • 11 ■ 1 b' plDvr-l I. ( ,r - Ib '' > ' cnr:i !bp [ a- ': wo I >1 i h'wr. more ‘ - if i■■ ■-' h ''' ! 11" t bor >-■ 11•-1 d Pla-ers an r>'-n i’ and no coijoi 1:1 eonlini’c'-. '‘Ho nd the o;> ~ ■" < a i' 1 v ” ;1 " OVP ’ 1 r ’' ’ jS^^MKMHH|W > ut b'• only one ror! ' se(l tlin? or kick Tuckly

under intense pressure as short-legs None the less Gilbert was a superb catcher of the ball and mostly a sound touch-finder and place-kicker. Sometimes, too, he showed a fine sense of attack. "Broadly speaking, the touring team triumphed over' a general situation that did not make things too easy for them. The outstanding players were Gilbert, Hart, Oliver, Mitchell, Sadler, and Hadley. The last-men-tioned was not a dramatic player but in many ways he was the complete forward from the British point of view. Perhaps as the chief try-scorei, Caughey should be included, while the veteran Hore was not far behind Hadley. Lambourne was another sterling front-row man. Manchester was a thorough sportsman as well as captain. Reid and several of the other big fellows each had their days, and Mahoney, though he looked a bit too» hefty for the part, turned out to a highly useful occupant of the back row on great occasions. Hadley recovered from his injury just in time to help his fellows re-find themselves in the scrummage. Slow heeling, however. tended to be a serious weakness.”