RUGBY

NZ Truth, 15 March 1924, Page 9

RUGBY

t . it, British International Matches 1 (By "Ponty.") 1 It w r ill no doubt be news to the New | Zealand Rugger public to read that 1 a British team is going out to South [ Africa this winter. The tour is of vital importance to Masseydonia — "honors, are easy" with- the Springboks, and therefore the fate of the Britishers at the Cape will throw a [ bit of light on the prospects of the ' New Zealanders when the United ; Kingdom fixtures came up for dcci- ! sion. Before going on" to make a few statements on the British International 1 Championship and players, perhaps the following record of British tours m. t South Africa will be of interest. They are hereby published;'- for* the first ■ time m this Dominion:— ' ! » ' IO 06 tO I y.N 0 j co 'a*' w ■ ©> : 'p| ■" ■ r-c- ■ ' „£3 ■<; i-t ' oi , -^i *j CO I *J , » . _, I ■ "■£«• y C-1 © CS © tH _.Q W_ C 4 C 4 C 4 O* O TO J3 M -cq - co c* C 4 o rt — r _■' , ■ *• £U '(fl -j « » «*■ W | | ; <art *° rt g J .] ,H M M JJ «0 J3 ' * "S S' O— » iH CO M" C U & ** ,h ,_),_] -4 «_. ~.-| rt o — : ; tc-M rt *r-\ CS i-l N ■* _> ~ jrH C* C 4, C - CO .__ 4) . — , , . . _j„ • U ° rj O. CO ©' g - •OO CO o o - }" w tH rt j-i t-I U"£ TO !Q !A 01 * i >» C c c 3 a o J3 _ ** to rf id o to if £ £ del s ■ ■*-" Sc $ § I w a - ■§■ 1 a. , ej ' - £ w 1 o INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. (1923-1924.) The following are the results to date, with the name of the victorious country mentioned first m every instance: — January 1 France v Scotland, at Paris 12—10 January 19 England v Wales at Swansea .... 17 — 9 January 2C Ireland v France, at Dublin 6— o February 2 Scotland v Wales at Edinburgh ;$ 35—10 February 9 England v Ireland, at Dublin 14—3 February 23 Scotland v Ireland, at Edinburgh 13—8 February 23 England v France ':"';■■*'.■■ at' Twickenham 19?-7 There are only two teams m it now, viz., England* and Scotland, The former tosses with a "double-header" — and can't lose. They meet at Twickenham to-day,: and as England has won one more game than Scotland, the "Roses" have" a draw m. Even a loss will still leave England bracketed with Scotland as tho 1923-1924 International Champions. FOR ENGLAND, HOME AND BEAUTY! ♦ Thanks to tho association of England's greatest match-winning trio, the Roses' record "since tho International Championship has been resumed following tho five years* break duo to the war is unparalleled m British Rugger. C. A. Kershaw (scrum-half), W. J," A. D/ivies, captain (stand-off half-^really five-eighth), and C. N (> Lowe (left wing-three-quarter) can* look back with pride upon a wonderful run of successes, due ln a great measure to their unrivalled play, both m combination and Individuality. Here Is the Englishmen's performances, starting with the 1919-1920 season:— f- Ift © © I C> I _. _ !OriMW CO fl " » ._ ta"g _ ! « I o t- co i n, *r ©oo o M Ej c-» •"• fV, IOQI-.U ■-• ~ ■ l w — .' ._. -_; — - * 3 ft Ii I w ri s . © I rt 4)M -r <J o , — G 4» — i S ,« I-1 I N « «jj "g rt d . " c -J S «*_« » wcfS s rt _l «R c l fcfo-=0 T <l> *-> 1 a. P , a « ?j >-7 c-i • a ■ ac < c ?> «m J . . rf . O I " r-l X V . . . _, Ce>C <M _ H • • • „ >-< o2 o t ! I 1 o S js c ! ' ; ' a f*-*^ O .... «; ■ "O tfl_j n ♦•*•.(*( -^-S wrtco rt ci-ccu ** ~ f C- T rt o - rt ■ «• <^ RECORD APPEARANCES IN INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS. FOR WALES: R. M. Owen (Swansea) .• 35 W. J. Bancroft (Swansea) ...^.,... M 33 FOR IRKLAND: O. Hamlet (Old Wesley ) 30 L. M. Magee (Bectlvo Rangers) 27 FOR SCOTLAND: J. C. McCallum (Watsonians) ..'.. 2G W. E. Maclagan (CJJasgow Acad.) 20 FOR ENGLAND: C. N. Lowe (Blackheath) 25 W. J.. A. Davies (United Servlcos) 21 FOR FRANCE: M. Communeau (Stade Francals) 21 „. [France has played 44 games to date, so that Communeau's record la a magnlficlent one.] REFEREE WITH A PUNCH. Except for {he Ireland v. France match, which was referoed by a RearAdmiral of His Majesty's Navy, every other game Is last season's International Championship m which Wales was not one of the contestants, was controlled by T. H. Vile. That is a record never before approached by any official, and Hponks volumes for the ability and popularity of the old-time Welsh half-back, wiio played m Australasia with Bedell-SivrlKhl's I'JO-j British team. Then; is no shadow ot doubt nf the woakiiCHs of HardlnK'x Anglo-Wclffhrnen irnmedintvly bohind tlie Hcrurnmaso. Had F. C. iiultno (Ihe ICj}«li>ih International) and T. H. Vile beon m the 1!)0S lnatend of tho 1904 British team, there would cer-

\ tainly not have been seven defeats inflicted upon Harding's men m New Zealand. It may be stated that Vile did not get his Welsh International cap until some time after tho 190-4 tour. THE CENTENARY MATCH. Played At Rugby School Close. November 1, 1923. England and Wales. (Colors— White with badge m red, plume of feathers and rose.) Welsh three-quarter line, with Kershaw and Davies the English halves. Four English and four Welsh f orwards. Scotland and Ireland. (Colors — Green and navy blue.) Irish three-quarter line with Bryce and Dykes the Scottish halves. Five Scottish and three Irish forwards. Referee — V. H. Cartwright, who skippered England against the All Blacks on December 2, 1905, when Duncan McGregor scored four of the New Zoalander's five tries. Result — England and T*y"ales won hands down. The match will always be memorable for tlie farewell of Davies and Kershaw to classical -Rugger. GREAT ENGLISH COUNTY TIE. Looking through the list of English County Champions recently, the writer came across the record of the famous tie 'of the i9OG-1907 season, when Durham and Devon wero bracketed winners of the County Championship. They played two drawn games m the final, after having won m their respective divisions. Following a "nodecision" bout at West Hartlepool, tho scene of operations was moved to Exeter, but this change of venue had no effect as far as finality was concerned. Still another tie l-esulted, and the two sides would apparently have gone along until Doomsday had not the English Rugby Union called , the seconds out of, the ring! N Poneke Club has gained a recruit from Palmerston North this season m Fred Bennett, who has just arrived m the capital fresh from High School to start m his first job. He is a pretty fair athlete, this lad. Just turned 20. he scales. 12st 41b, and can do 100 yards under 11 seconds. Last season he played centre three-quarter for the Manawatu reps, on the southern tour. He has represented the same district at cricket and was the school swimming champion last season. i "~~