FOOTBALL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 7 August 1929, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

ALL BLACKS RETURN. THE MANAGER’S VIEWS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Tuesday. “New Zealand might have won the Rugby tests in Australia if it had been able to field the best team available from the players on the tour.” That is the opinion of the manager of the 1929 All Blacks, Air J. McLeod, who arrived back with the team by the Ulimaroa from Sydney this afternoon. Sickness and an exceptional number of injuries made the team travel with a tremendous handicap, Mr McLeod said. There might have been a very different story in the test matches if Nepia, Carleton, Oliver, Lilburnc, Dailey and Porter had been able to play in the whole series. “Rugby has improved tremendously over in New South Wales,” said Air AlcLeod. “The backs were clever, and they had fast-breaking forwards. Our main trouble was that we lost our star players from key positions. Dailey, Nepia, Porter and Oliver were great losses.” Asked about his reported statement in Australia that the 1929 All Blacks compared with any team that had ever left New Zealand, Air AlcLeod said he contended that the best fifteen that could have been chosen would have compared favourably with any New Zealand team, but that fifteen had never taken the field. lie still maintained that. He said the Australians had shown a distinct improvement, and the New Zealand selectors will have to realise that.

This team was chosen without trial matches, he said. The tour took place at a psychological moment as far as Rugby in Australia was concerned, Air AlcLeod continued. Rugby was hard, but clean, and the team were given a great reception by the crowds. While the team were touring they made a good impression everywhere they went. In fact, when in Queensland, the whole of the Warrington district changed over from League to the Rugby Union game. That was a wonderful tribute in itself. Air AlcLeod went on to talk about individual players. He said Lilburnc, who played wonderful football, Avas as good a five-eighths as Ncaa' Zealand had seen for a long time; he was really magnificent. Oln'er Avas very cleA'er and Avas full of tricks. Dailey Avas a real star in the only game he played. But the whole trouble Avith the team Avas the fact that, after losing Dailey, they had no half-back of real class. Tuck Avas quite a good player, but he not a half-back, and Leys Avas not ■ to standard. The main cause of the of the tests Avas that the team Hi no safety link betAveen fonvards H backs. Stringfellow made a \ T ery HI job of the full-back position, said BH manager. He played Avell all Hook, as usual, Avas very er■l McWilliams played fine footH| and Avas very popular Avith the ■■-ds. Palmer and Siaoav also did The most improved and most proplayer was Cotterill, the CanterH hooker. Alahoney, the youngster team, a real giant, had great Hr AlcLeod could not say too much H'hc hospitality extended to the team. also spoke highly of the team itH-, saying chat nobody could ever travelled from New Zealand with lot of chaps. They Avere genand “good mixers.” “I did have to do any managing—in fact, Hey almost maanged me,” he said Avith Avas said in Ncaa’ Zealand,” Air remarked, “that Oliver had no He stopped everything that his Avav in Australia; but the H hero of ihc tour Avas Lilburnc. In BHopinion he is just starting to be a Zealand captain. Porter was and had great influence Avith vs. We missed him badly in the dies. was a pit a', Air AlcLeod said, that had had to travel the long H| ICV to Alelbournc after the first then go back to Brisbane for the and nlay the third at Sydney MHaturday. That Avas a great misit Avas the only thing about the tour that Avas badly arranged, experiment had to be tried. Air said that Tommy' LaAvton, old ; Sj played Avonderful football. He served by a clfiver half-back. t . is a great pity that avc can’t :i match against a Alaori team, a? BHuggested, ’ ’ said Air AlcLeod, but there are too many injuries among the players. Lucidly most of them have shown great improvement on the trip across. Unfortunately', Dailey may' not be able to play again this season.” The team Avas officially Avelcomed home by the Auckland Rugby' Union, and a telegram Avas received from the Noav Zealand Rugby Union. “There is one thing I Avould like to say',” said the Hon. E. H. I arrar, Alinist’er of Labour, Industries and Commerce in New South AYales, when he arrived by the Ulimaroa, “and that is about your footballers avlio have just completed an Australian tour. They are a A'erv fine, manly' lot of men, and in addition to meeting them aboard on this trio, I saw them play in all three matches. They are as fine a team as I have ever seen, and have done much credit to Noav Zealand both on and off the field. ’ ’ The Palmerston North Boys’ High School, holders of the Aloascar Cup, Avill play a return game Avith the Wairarapa High School on Friday, at the Wairarapa High School grounds. The match, which will commence at three o’clock, will be preceded by a girls’ hockey' match between the first eloAens of the Wairarapa High School and the DanneA’irke High School. The Palmerston boys, Avho Avill be billeted by the local boys, Avill arrive in Alastcrton on Thursday', and leave on Saturday morning. Tlio lollowing pre tlic tCcims. Wairarapa: Ball, Harris, Eastwood, Thompson, "Wright, Uttlej', Smith, Aitken, Groves, R. Clarke, McWhiunic, K.

Clarke (captain), Falloon, Laing, FarnsAA'orth; emergencies, AlcLeod, Welch. Palmerston North: Waldegrave, Penman, Buclcer, Penman, Bradley, Ollivcr, Alctcalfe, Henderson, Fraser, Scott, SliaAA', Alillcr (captain), Cleverly, O’Shea, Steivart. Emergencies: Small, James, Spencer.