FOOTBALL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160734, 21 August 1920, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

N.Z. TOUIi IN N.S.W. Responding to a welcome extended to the victorious New Zealand team, on ita return to Wellington early this week, the manager, Mr T. H. Jones, said that the team had played 7 matches in 17 days with practically 19 men, which was six under the minimum for a tour of seven matches (the tour having been extended). The strain nut on the players was almost more than flesh and blood could stand, but despite this they had done magnificently. They had scored 264 points in seven matches, as against 276 scored in ten matches in 1903, and 246 scored by the team that visited Australia in 1910. On the other hand, 77 points were scored against the team—the biggest score that had been put up against a New Zealand team. The previous record l was 73 points in ten matches. During the tom - , E. Roberts had brought his total points scored in New Zealand representative matches np to 104, there being only four other New Zealanders who had achieved a similar record. Although Roberts scored the largest number of points on the tour, he was closely followed by Storey, who scored at least one try in every one of the seven matches played. (Applause). In a scries of nine Lours, New Zealand had won 66 ont of 72 matches played, four games had been lost, and two drawn. Mr .tones added that the only way to save the Rugby game in Australia and New Zealand was by the adoption of the amended rules, such as had been played in Auckland. The rules agreed upon by the English Union did not fill the bill at all. The captain of the team, Mr Tilyard, stated that the team played good football right throughout the tour. They would have played even better had they been “up against” it, but they had never been seriously extended once. On and off the field the members of the team were “real gentlemen”—(applause) —and there had never been any fear that they would disgrace the New Zealand Union in any way. AX ANALYSIS. During the tour of the All Blacks just ended 264 points were scored for and 77 points against, both sets of figures being records. Seven matches were played, and won, as under; X. N.S.W., 26-15; v. Northern Rivers, 709; v. N.S.W., 14-6; v. Metropolitan, 20-11; v. N.S.W. (second), 31-18; v. N.S.W., 24-13; v. Metropolitan, 7S-5. An analysis of the New Zealand score is given below; ‘-I 5 %■ oi g 22. « g s S- “ S' Player. E. Roberts (Wellington) 4 17 P. Storey (St. Cant.l ... 11 1 J. Steele (West Coast) ... 8 E. Hase'.l (Canterbury) 2 6 J. Tiiyard (Wellington) 3 2 1 17 D. Baird (Southland) ..5 1 H. Jacobs (Horowhenua 5 1 E. Beilis (Wamranuß ... 5 J. Moffitt (Wellington) 4 1 C. Badeley (Auckland) ... 4 Y. Wilson (Auckland) .. 4 F. McLean (Buller) 4 A. West (Taranaki) 2 1 8 A. Carroll (Manawatu) 2 B. Algar (Wellington) ... 1 W. Duncan (Otago; 1 J. Donald (Wairarapa) 1 C. Brown (Taranaki) ... 1 Totals 66 31 1 264 AN AUSTRALIAN VIEWPOINT. Says a writer in the Sydney Sun: From the playing standpoint, the New Zealand visit has been a great success. Although each time the margin of victory' has been comfortable—to judge by <he scores—the play itself has always been close enough to raise the hopes of the home supporters until near the end of the game. The football has been hard, the tackling, except in a couple of isolated instances, deadly, but there has never been the slightest sign of loss of temper. We learnt one great lesson from the Blacks—the value of support. Close support alone won them the first match When our defence was penetrated, Black supporters wore always close up. ready to carry on. When Lawton and Raymond were making their great in dividual runs there was no movement about it. Play merely stopped when they were tackled,. On Saturday thw feature was absent from the N.S.W. play. Both forward and back we had the men on hand with every rush.