46: Canadian welcome far from Rocky

Nature conspired to send Britain and Ireland a message as the Invincibles, bound for Canada, waited for a favourable turn of the tide aboard the Mont-Laurier on the Mersey River at Liverpool.

A partial sun eclipse occurred on January 24, leaving England nearly all blacked out, literally and figuratively. The All Blacks started their voyage home an hour before midnight.

The eight-day Atlantic voyage was rough. Heavy seas, churned by a gale, were sometimes accompanied by snowfalls. Then, after arriving at St. John, Nova Scotia, where they had to wait aboard their ship overnight, they awoke to heavy snow falling and a temperature 15 degrees Fahrenheit below freezing. The side travelled across Canada by train for 3527 miles, with frequent stops in the main centres.

On this trip, the side realised the consequences of their All Blacks name in a non-rugby environment. Maurice Brownlie said they often heard people surprised that the team was not entirely of black ethnicity.

This is a fact. It would seem a pity to do away with the term All Black, and if New Zealand was used with it, it might be all right, but as it is, I think for the reason mentioned that New Zealand should be substituted for the term All Black.^[1]

The rough Atlantic crossing had unfortunate consequences for Montreal, where the public and rugby officials prepared a significant welcome for the side. However, arriving a day late at St John, they could not stay overnight, as intended, in Montreal.

However, the Montreal Daily Star was undeterred and published an editorial about the side's feats.

The All Blacks are rugby football players who have just concluded a most successful tour of Great Britain, where they won every match in which they played, defeating the full strength of England in the last and greatest tussle of skill at Twickenham a month ago. Then, for good measure, the victors tripped over to France and met and triumphed over two of the strongest fifteens that France has ever turned out. The significance of this visit, however, is not that one of the whelps of Mother Empire has tested its skill against its parent and come out victorious, but that every member of that team was a salesman selling New Zealand...Who shall measure how much this party of men has done to knit together the Empire through the common bond of sport? Their visit is a lesson and should point a moral to us in Canada.^[2]

Their travel delay also had a knock-on effect, as a Toronto stopover was also ruled out.

They did get to stop at Calgary, where a function was staged before the team carried on to the Rocky Mountains resort of Banff, where a two-day stay was scheduled. Donning skates, the tourists played ice hockey during the annual winter carnival staged in the resort.

All Banff went wild with laughter on the Sunday afternoon when these big husky, good-natured lads put on the first skates they had ever worn and played a 'game' of hockey on the carnival rink.

Hockey sticks flew in every direction as these bulky giants plunged and piled up awkwardly on the hard, cold, ice, forgetting everything but the fact that they were having a whale of a time and making the crowds roar with laughter. No better sports have ever been seen in Banff, and the big crowd attending the carnival at Alberta's winter resort were completely captivated by the big, bashful, modest boys from the sister Dominion.^[3]

Manager Stan Dean said there was something about Canadian hospitality which made the All Blacks feel at home.

This is the first chance we have had to be really natural and have a good time since we left home. Every man of the team approached me on Sunday and asked me to revise the itinerary so that we could remain here in Banff for a week instead of spending our time in the coastal cities.^[4]

The All Blacks expressed their appreciation to Banff officials by making the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta, the Mayor of Calgary, and the American Indian writer and athlete Chief Buffalo 'Child Long Lance' honorary members of the side.

Upon arrival in Vancouver, the team had their first training run since England, and Jock Richardson suffered a broken leg while Cliff Porter needed five stitches after his eyebrow was cut open. Lui Paewai could not play due to a mild attack of pleurisy, while Neil McGregor had a dislocated shoulder.

In achieving a 49-0 win over the Vancouver All Stars, the All Blacks scored 13 tries, five of them converted and as the Vancouver Star noted,

The world's greatest amateur rugby machine had the honour of playing to the biggest crowd that has yet watched an outdoor sporting event in this city.^[5]

And how did they do it? The Star summed it up,

From the first toot of Referee Yeo's very capable whistle it was only a question of whether the local fifteen would score, for the lads in the mourning regalia just uncorked a succession of dazzling plays that left the home aggregation standing flat-footed.

Drilled in their various plays like a company of grenadiers the All Blacks worked with almost military precision. Their three-quarter line moved down the field in much the same manner as a flock of ducks adhere to the 'V' formation. The ball was slipped from one to the other with deadly accuracy and there was always an extra man or two to draw a tackle and thus create the opening.

Every forward appeared to be capable of holding his own as a three-quarter and every man on the back division was fast as chain lightning. They had the 'fake pass' down to a science and made every possible foot before delivering the ball. Every man showed remarkable condition and there wasn't a weak link in the chain. From the brilliant Nepia out to M. Brownlie the team proved an aggregation such as only New Zealand can produce.^[6]

Scorers: Vancouver All Stars 0 New Zealand 49 (Alan Robilliard 4, Jim Parker, Bert Cooke 3, Maurice Brownlie, Fred Lucas 2, George Nepia, Alf West tries; Mark Nicholls 3 con; Jimmy Mill con; Parker con). Referee: E.L. Yeo

The second game, more an exhibition than anything else, as eight local players were included as North played South. North won the game 25-14. It was played in treacherous conditions that made the ground slippery. It was almost impossible for goal-kicker George Nepia to attempt goal kicks.

Scorers: Victoria 4 (Brynjolfson dropped goal) New Zealand 68 (Alan Robilliard 4, Jack Steel 3, Jim Parker 2, Bill Dalley 2, Handley Brown 2, Jimmy Mill, Alf West, Bert Cooke, Ron Steward, Abe Munro tries; Steel 3 con; Cooke 2 con; George Nepia 2 con).

Brownlie was impressed with the quality of players in Canada.

There is good material, but the game is very crude. They are quite willing to learn, but have not the opportunities. Visits such as ours would make a lot of difference.^[7]

From there, the team worked its way south to San Francisco to catch the S.S. Tahiti for their voyage home, leaving on February 25 for Wellington. Stops were made en route in Tahiti and Rarotonga, where heavy seas left visitors ashore stranded for a day, before they made landfall in New Zealand on March 17.

NEXT ISSUE: A Wellington welcome awaits

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^[1] Maurice Brownlie, Daily Telegraph (Napier), 26 March 1925

^[2] Editorial, Daily Star (Montreal), quoted in Auckland Star, 13 March 1925

^[3][3] Auckland Star correspondent, Auckland Star, 13 March 1925

^[4] S.S. Dean, Auckland Star, 13 March 1925

^[5] The Southland Times, 14 April 1925

^[6] Vancouver Star, ibid

^[7] Brownlie, ibid