Having their standing in the world game challenged by South Africa in 1921, the All Blacks selectors, Alf Griffiths of Wellington, and Donald Stuart from Otago, decided on a rebuilding exercise with their selection for the 1922 tour to Australia.
It proved a tough assignment, and the great recovery made a poor start with the All Blacks losing consecutive games for the first time.
Only three members of the 1920 side were included, Jack Steel, Jim Donald and Moke Belliss, while seven of those who played Tests against South Africa in 1921 were named. They included, Steel and Donald, the Nicholls brothers Mark and 'Ginger', Jock Richardson and Andrew 'Son' White. Billy Fea was unavailable. C.N. 'Nap' Kingstone, fullback against South Africa was not considered due to a car accident that ended his career.
West Coaster Jack Steel
The New Zealand correspondent of The Referee said the side wasn't in the class of teams from the past, but acknowledged a transition was underway. Pertinently, he said,
Many of the players named above are just on the threshold of their careers, and in a few years their names may become household words to the Rugby admirers. There are stirring times ahead and the bringing into prominence of the younger players at this stage will be to ultimate advantage of the game.[1]
After a warm-up game with Wairarapa, which they won 12-11, they set sail for Sydney.
The All Blacks beat New South Wales 26-19 in one of the more attractive games played between the sides. The All Blacks scored seven tries to three but struggled with their goal-kicking. 'Snowy' Svenson was supposed to play but measles kept him out. George Dickinson, a second five-eighths, and future New Zealand cricket representative, made a lively start outside Mark Nicholls but had to retire injured.
Belliss, the captain, played wing-forward, but it was Richardson who had most impact among the forwards winning praise as 'an honest scrummager', while also starring in lineouts and in the loose. White and Brownlie also impressed. But, in restricting the New Zealanders' scoring chances with fine defensive work, fullback Otto Nothling gave a demonstration of the class that would see him ranked among Australia's finest in the position.
A midweek game against a scratch Metropolitan Union side was won 24-6 with Richardson emphasising his form with three tries, one of them a length-of-the-field dribbling effort that beat most members of the opposition.
For the second international with NSW, injury forced Mark Nicholls out of contention and the recovered Dickinson was named at first five-eighths. However, in heavy conditions, it was the blindside play of halfback 'Ginger' Nicholls set up a first-half try for Richardson and a second half try for Steel.
Unfortunately, the discipline of the New Zealanders appeared to let them down. They later contended the penalty count in the game, 38-9 against NSW, was down to more than the referee's interpretations of the laws. R.G. 'Bot' Stanley landed three penalty goals and a conversion of a penalty try when All Blacks centre Percy Hickey was ruled to have shepherded in the in-goal area. The home team levelled the series when winning 14-8.
Two days later, nearing the end of five games in 12 days, and three 'Tests' in 10 days, they met NSW in the last game of the series with Steel captaining the side in the absence of Belliss. Brownlie scored first half tries in quick succession, neither was converted by Mark Nicholls. NSW scored from an intercept try by R.L. 'Pup' Raymond, a player the 1924 All Blacks would next meet when playing Oxford University, and then had the benefit of a refereeing decision not to call a knock on as Stanley and E.J. 'Ted' Thorn combined to give No.8 W.J. 'Bill' Marrott a try to lead 8-6 at halftime, with no points scored in the second half.
It was the first time a New Zealand side had lost consecutive games.
The Referee concluded the issue was with New Zealand's backs.
It proved that whilst New Zealand is rapidly recovering in forward play from the handicaps of the war, the backs are making slower progress. We see pace and safe play, but New Zealand has taught us to look for much more, especially from five-eighths and centres. It was sought in vain this time.
In this concluding match, the New Zealanders had a shade less of the luck. The Rugby was not spectacular; it was solid. The forwards were typical All Blacks, but the backs handled the ball indifferently. They passed overarm (a serious crime in other years in N.Z.), and showed no ability to cut in or make openings.[2]
Before returning home they played and beat the NSW 2nd XV 56-19 with 'Son' White scoring three tries, W.A. 'Jockey' Ford two and Louis Petersen, Belliss, Dickinson, Mark Nicholls, Cupples and Richardson scoring one each. Nicholls landed 10 conversions while Steel kicked a penalty goal.
Back in New Zealand, they played a Manawatu-Wellington XV and won 45-11 and then beat a New Zealand Māori XV 21-14.
Significantly, Australian critics pointed to the way the home team realised halfback 'Ginger' Nicholls could be contained. While he influenced the outcome of the first international, he was well contained and smothered by NSW forwards R.E. 'Ray' Elliott and Thorn.
But, in making his assessment, legendary Australian rugby writer, J.C. Davis [The Cynic] in The Referee said the New Zealanders acknowledged the benefit of having a competitor like NSW so close at hand.
The latest New Zealanders are a very fine lot in the forwards. They are young and lusty, and gifted, with Richardson quite out of the box – another Seeling – exceptionally fast and clean in handling the ball with the height and weight of a star scrummager.
The backs – well the inside men did not reveal essential nippiness over the ground, nor pass as sharply as the old dons used to. But this should be very soon developed once again. If it be so, New Zealand football will win back all the glory of the days that made the names of the illustrious All Blacks the greatest in the world of rugby.[3]
Encouraging words despite the embarrassment of being the first All Blacks to lose consecutive games.
NEXT ISSUE: Tour conditions debated and players assessed
[1] NZ special correspondent, The Referee [Sydney], 19 July 1922
[2] The Referee [Sydney], 9 August 1922
[3] J.C. Davis (The Cynic), The Referee, 16 August 1922