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SMAD. An Organ of Student Opinion. 1933. Volume 4. Number 3.

N.Z.U. All Blacks Were too Good. — Visitors were Fast and Dashing but too Uncertain — Australians' Sportsmanship was Great

page 10

N.Z.U. All Blacks Were too Good.

Visitors were Fast and Dashing but too Uncertain

Australians' Sportsmanship was Great.

New Zealand has won the 1933 University Internationals with Australia, and won them by wide margins. Despite this fact, however, large crowds have witnessed these games, and it is a matter of regret that the issue was not more in doubt.

The Australians were handicapped through several of their best men being in South Africa with the Wallabies, among them Dennis Love, the Sydney University Captain, Sturtridge, Cowper, and Clark. In addition, others were unable to make the trip—no Queenslanders being able to come, and MacShane, of Sydney, a certainty for the Wallabies, had he been available, being unable to travel on either tour.

They met one of the best New Zealand University Teams in recent years. The Black back-line was exceptionally good, and the forwards well up to standard, so that it was not a question of the Australians being heavily beaten in the Tests by a weak home side. In the other games with the individual University centres, three out of the four were well fought out although the Australians cheered last in each case.

Several of the Australians were first-class players Westfield, the full-back, was at all times very safe. He was played at centre in some of the games, and was unaccustomed to the position. However, his defence was always very sound, and his goal-kicking of great use to the team. The reserve, Laurie, was also a safe full-back, and Australia was well served in this position. Kennedy, the wing and captain, was at times brilliant, and always good.. Rowe, another three-quarter, showed promise, and Rees, a first five-eighths, has football in him and should make a class player.

In the forwards the Australians at times held their own with the New Zealand team, especially in the second Test, when they had the better if anything of the forward play. Robertson, who was in New Zealand in 1929 with the last Australian Universities' Team, showed up in all his games as fine stamp of forward, especially on the line-out. Booth, Elias, McWilliam, and Mackey were others who shone in the various games.

Australia's besetting weakness was their uncertainty in attack. They were many times in good attacking positions in the games, but erratic and ill-directed passing caused them no end of trouble, especially as in their style of play their attacking would often commence near their own goal-line where a dropped pass would have meant often a try to the opposing team.