WALES WINS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 61, 23 December 1935, Page 5

WALES WINS

iHIRTEEN POINTS TO TWELVE. TRY IN LAST THREE MINUTES. SUPERIORITY IN THE BACKS. (United Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, Decembed 21. Wales beat the All Blacks by 13 points to 12. At half-time New Zealand led 3-0. The match was regarded as the most interesting of the tour so far, as it might be described as the game to decide the “conqueror.” In the first of the series Wales inflicted the only defeat of the All Blacks in 1905. New Zealand in 1924 made amends, winning by 19 points to nil. The teams to-day were: W;ales. Full-back: Jenkins (London Welsh). Three-quarters: Wooller (Cambridge University), Idwai Bees (Swansea), Davey (Swansea), Rees-Jones (Oxford University). Halves: C. W. Jones (Cambridge University), Tanner (Swansea). Forwards: Rees (London Welsh), Lang (Llanelly), Prosser (Neath), Williams (Crosskeys), T. Rees (Newport), Watkins (Cardiff), Tarr (Navy and Swansea), Payne (Swansea). New Zealand. Full-back: Gilbert. Three-quarters; Ball, Mitchell, Hart, Five-eighths: Oliver, Griffiths. Half-back: Sadler. Forwards: Lambourne, Hadley, Dalton, Manchester, King, Reid, McLean and Mahoney. The absence of Caughey through injuries was regarded as most unfortunate. In spite of a heavy overnight frost, conditions at Cardiff were perfect. The ground had been protected by a heavy covering of hay. Fifty thousand spectators were present. New Zealand kicked off against a light breeze. The ground was apparently slippery, both full-backs falling as they gathered the ball and kicked. Wales won the first line-out. A. M. Rees dribbled smartly, but was offside. Davey punted ahead, enabling Wales to reach New Zealand territory, but the All Blacks’ resolute tackling, drove the attack back.-Wales regained the ground, but were penalised, and Gilbert’s long kick at goal was only inches low. Oliver and Hart combined magnificently, but Jenkins brought off a fine flying tackle on the line, forcing Hart into touch. The All Blacks generally had the territorial advantage, getting plenty of opportunities from the scrum. Sadler Once sent the ball to Griffiths, starting a fine passing bout, but Davey intercepted and dribbled almost to the All Blacks’ twenty-five before he was stopped. Immediately afterwards the Welsh forwards dribbled to the line, and Prosser fell on the hall. Wales claimed a try, but the referee ordered a scrum. Wales heeled the ball, Cliff Jones receiving perfectly, from Tanner. He worked his way through brilliantly, but was pulled down a yard from the The All Blacks again attacked, Oliver and Sadler causing the defence much anxiety. Play remained fast and exciting. Wales dribbled downfield several times, but Griffiths defended strongly, finding touch cleverly m the face of the Welsh rushes. The All Blacks resumed their attacks, a series of judicious kicks to touch putting them on the Melsh line, but Jenkins again came to the rescue. After 35 minutes Griffiths matte a splendid opening for Ball to carry on and secure a try near the touch-hn • Gilbert did not convert, and the fust half ended. New Zealand ... ... Wales

The second half opened in excitement. Wales heeled from the first scrum, and the Welsh backs handled before Cliff Jones, the Cambridge Urn-, verity half, brilliantly tricked four or five New Zjealanders, ; punted through, gathered the ball again and outpaced Gilbert in a tWfflg yards dash for the lme. tHe touched down between the posts. Jenkins converted. Wales ... jj New Zealand ... d Within five minutes Woolmer, the Cambridge University three-quarter, picked up from the loose m midfield, put in a great sprint, punted over Gilbert’s head, and beat the AH Blac for the ball. Gilbert tackled him, but AVooller passed to Rees-Jones, u 10 scored an easy try. Jenkine converted. Wales- ••• Wales was now playing like a team of demons. The forwards were having the best of it in the loose and securing a fair share of the ball in the sciums. Rees-Jones once nearly had a try, but Gilbert pulled him down. Nevertheless the All Blacks were not beaten. After some fine handling, Hart was within an ace of scoring. Jenkins cleared, but did not find touch. Gilbert nicked up inside his own . hail, practically on the touch-line, and dropped a magnificent goal, but a lew minutes later he missed a fairly easy penalty. Wales New Zealand 7 The trend of the game suddenly changed dramatically ten minutes from the end, when Kees-Jones failed o gather a punt by Ball, who speedily followed up, picked up, and scored between the posts. Gilbert converted. New Zealand 12 Wales ... ... ••• 10 With their opponents two points in the lead, Wales exhibited the finest fighting qualities. Wooller, three minutes from time, started a movement which spread crossfield before ReesJ’ones scored a try almost in the corner. Jenkins did not convert. The final score was: Wales 13 New Zealand ... ... 12

Wales was the better side all round, and won chiefly through Cliff Jones showing the value of individual enterprise, after which the backs were almost irresistible. Intense Excitement. An- impressive silence momentarily fell on the huge crowd packing Cardiff Farms Park when the referee, Mr C. li. Gadney (England), whistled for the kick-off. Then as the two sides swung into action, full-throated roars resounded from all sections of the ground, illustrating the excitement of the Welshmen, who for months have been impatiently awaiting the battle to decide Rugby supremacy between Wales and New Zealand. No match in Britain for many years has aroused such interest. Thousands came from all parts. The authorities spent more than £IOOO ‘in police and traffic arrangements to cope with the crowds. Many streets were closed to traffic hours before the start, and very available policeman .was on duty. Immediately the gates opened, crowds streamed in and excitement increased to fever pitch as the Welsh, with fervour typical of the race, sang famous songs which to the New Zealanders must have sounded like battle chants. Many matches in various parts of Britain were abandoned to-day because of a severe frost. The heavy overnight frost at Cardiff penetrated the sevens tons of hay spread over the ground, which precaution alone prevented a postponement. Witli members of the team I inspected the ground this morning. Many parts were frozen hard, white frost lying in some places. Frozen spots remained at the start.

Mr Meredith and Oliver spent hours discussing whether to play Sadler or Corner, and were still undecided until a few hours before the start. They similarly debated whether McLean or McKenzie should play. The selectors decided to play Mitchell at centre and Oliver at second five-eighths. Although they disliked the idea of Oliver being out of position where he has proved the key man, they .thought it unwise to risk Tindill. Grim Determination. I have not seen footballers looking so grim and determined as the All Blacks when they lined up on the field. All were on their toes for the game, which above all others they had set their hearts on winning. A light fog cleared off an hour before the game, which started in sunshine. The slipperiness of the ground was apparent from the kick-off, Sadler twice failing to gather the ball when it was heeled from a serum. The New Zealanders for the first scrum packed down like a flash and pushed their opponents five or six yards. The All Blacks, as against Scotland and Ireland, were all out for an early score, and several times in the first nine minutes the defence was almost beaten. Once a try seemed certain, but Jenkins, with a marvellous tacjde of Halt, saved thesituation. Hooting broke out when Ball tackled the opposing winger, but the reason for the demonstration was not clear. Apparently the crowd was transported with excitement, and was just relieving its feelings. The first quarter of an hour suggested that it would be a hard fought, e.ven, battle. The Welsh forwards were struggling strenuously all the way, while outside their twentyfive the hacks made every effort to open up play, and brought off many neat passing movements. Oliver and Davey. They obviously learned something from New Zealand—a winger rushing in to make an extra man. A great battle went, on between Oliver and Davey. Once the All Black left the Welsh centre standing, but the next twice the New Zealander tried to go through Davey tackled him, ball and all. There was a period .lialf-way through the first half when the Welsh backs had matters all their own way, Jones showing class when he cut through the centre, beating Griffiths and two others] but he was tackled on the line. The forwards’ battle, was fairly even, although the tourists were getting a three-to-one advantage inthe scrums, while the line-outs were even. Hooting recurred when New Zealand was awarded a penalty, the third within 15 minutes. Griffiths, seeing Oliver well marked, tried going through oil his own, but with little success. Once he kicked when he had a clear opening, which was a bad error of judgment. The Welsh backs had now become an attractive combination. Unlike numerous other teams the All Blacks have encountered, they seemed at home together. Cliff, Jones was a different player from the one the New Zealanders met at Cambridge. He looked dangerous practically whenever he got the ball. Griffiths deserves all the credit for the opening try. He ran obliquely, drawing the attack before passing to Ball after a long period in which New Zealand never looked like scoring. A discordant note came when New Zealand was penalised for .obstruction, Oliver tackling Davey after the Welshman had kicked, but it was not deliberate. Wales’ great handicap in the first half had been inability to obtain the ball from the scrums, which prevented the backs from getting the results of which they were capable. The ball, when it came, was heeled out slowly, enabling Griffiths and Oliver to come up and stand over Cliff Jones and Davey. I have never seen such joy in any crowd as when IDavey scored a spectacular try tln-ee minutes after the resumption. The cheering' lasted several minutes, but Bedlam broke loose when Rees-Jones scored five minutes later. The Welsh, backs were now definitely on top. Tanner, Cliff Jones, Woollei, and Davey were playing like supermen, and'looked like scoring nearly every time they received the ball, Play was so'hejited that the referee once pulled - up the players for a long time and: talked to the forwards. It was not deliberate roughness, but so much was at stake that the players sometimes were almost berserk. Mitchell, with a quarter of an hour to go, was knocked out by a ten ific tackle by Davey, .but resumed a few minutes later, apparently quite recovered The Welsh back line was reshuffled, M oiler

becoming centre and Rees-Jones wing, but still went well. When the New Zealanders gained the lead they fought tooth and nail to hang on to it. • The covering work on defence was now a big feature of the New Zealanders’ play. The forwards raced round in support of the backs whenever there was a hint of danger. The All Blacks for a time tried dribbling through JTom the scrums, which met with great success. Once the forwards, locked together, carried the ball 20 yards. Wales, however; never ceased trying, to pull the match out of the fire, figtlting just as desperately at the end as at the beginning. ,The winning try was fully deserved. There were astounding scenes as the final whistle sounded. The crowd rose and cheered tumultuously __ for many minutes and then sang the Welsh anthem, “Land cf Our Fathers.” Thousands rushed the field and surrounded the Welsh players, who were mobbed and kissed by women. Davey was carried off shoulder-high. Oliver Injured. After the game it was learned that Oliver severely injured his shoulder. He was attended by a doctor and was unable to go to the official dinner. Tarr was carried off 10 minutes before the end. It is feared he had injured his spine. , I. Cardiff is celebrating the victory, crowds roaming the streets and singing. . , ; The newspapers applaud Wales’s “great victory,” which the “Observer” is of opinion is due to constructive attacking as a basis of tactics. The New Zealanders worked well together and were prompt to profit by errois. They followed up fast, but were a trifle barren in the conception of longrange attacks. Griffiths and Gilbert were rattled under pressure. . The “Sunday Times” says that Wales was much better than the single point win suggests. It is fai» to say that, if the New Zealanders had not been such brilliant opportunists they .would have been beaten by anything between six and 10 points. The Welsh defence was superb, and nipped in the hud the All Blacks’ customary glorious reverse passing. . . t The “Sunday Graphic” says that again Wales is pre-eminent in the Rugby world, and triumphed where others failed against the New Zealanders. „ The critics generally praise Davey s captaincy in sending Wooller to centre in the second half, when he proved the best modern . attacking .centre, transforming Wales into, a better team. The All Blacks have won 23 matches, drawn one (against Ulster, 3-all), and lost two, the previous defeat being at the hands of Swansea by 11 to 3.

COMMENT ON THE GAME. NO ELEMENT OF LUCK IN PLAY. HIGH STANDARD MAINTAINED. LONDON, December 22. The special correspondent of the • , United Press Association says that expectations of the classic game when New Zealand met Wales to decide the rubber were not disappointed. Males won because it was the better team in practically every department. There was not a vestige of luck about - the victory. The All Blacks were up against backs who were then-masters on attack and in defence. Moreover, the' Welsh’ backs fitted together perfectly and could not have combined better if they had been team-mates throughout the season. Heroes in Wales. The three heroes in Wales to night are Cliff Jones, Claude Davey, and Wooller, who were head and shoulders above any of the New Zealand backs. The most enthusiastic .New Zealand supporter must recognise that nobody could have expected to play better. Rugby than those three. New Zealand was not disgraced, and therefore there is no need for excuses. Nevertheless, the frozen, slippery! ground affected both sides, but * the New Zealander more than tlieir opponents. There might have been a different ending if Caughey had been included in the back line, which was very‘sub-* dued and orthodox. Oliver did not fail, but his right place in this team is centre. Griffiths’ play was stilted. •; He did not possess the natural ability to make an ideal five-eighths. Cliff Jones was too good for him. Oliver, against anybody else, might have won the game. Oliver three' times Seemed clear when Davey came from nowhere and downed him. The selectors did the right thing in playing Sadler, who. although not outstanding, got the-ball out well. Tanner was a better player on the day, and gave Sadler few chances to come round the scrum. Few Opportunities. Hart and Ball had few opportunities because of the determined tackling of the Welsh inside backs. The All Blacks’ forwards were always hard pressed, although their superiority in the scrums was marked. They won 28 scrums to 13. Manchester captained the side well and played a grand game. McLean gave one of his best displays of the tour. His selection also was sound. Lambourn, Hadley, and Dalton were in good form, but Reid, King, and Mahoney have been seen to better advantage. Tarr (except at hooking), Lang, Rees, Prosser, and Watkins were equal to any New Zealander, indicating the improvement of Rugby in "Wales. CONGRATULATIONS TO WALES. NEW ZEALAND UNION’S MESSAGE WELLINGTSON, This Day. The New Zealand Rugby Union has sent the following cablegram to the Welsh Rugby Union: “The New Zealand Rugby Union heartily congratulates you on your win.” .