FIRST LEAGUE TEST

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26613, 26 December 1951, Page 6

FIRST LEAGUE TEST

Press Comment On N.Z. Loss (N.Z. Press LONDON, Dec. 24. Reuter’s Paris correspondent says the French press is unanimous that the French team well deserved its 8-3 win in the first test against the Kiwis yesterday. "The French got their revenge for the Auckland match without any spirit of animosity, but benefited by numerous penalty kicks, which gave one the impression that the visitors committed many irregularities, but it must be remembered that the League had to win this game for its prestige in Paris.” The “Franc-Tireur” asks: “Did the leferee favour France? Some say he did." The newspaper also said the referee ruled the game with great latitude. “Had he penalised all the irregularities committed in scrums there would have been no game at all”

“The Kiwis are quite capable of turning the tables on France next Sunday at Bordeaux in the second test. France took 40 minutes before the team got going. In the next test they must get off the mark quicker.’* The “Humanite’’ said: “In the first half we wanted to give an exhibition of the open game to win over the Parisians to the League game. Unfortunately it was only in the second half when we threw the forwards into the play that the Parisians appreciated our game."

All the New Zealand players were mentioned in the French commentaries. These were unanimous in saying the Kiwis are tough and that when used to the conditions in France they will be hard to beat. There was a general impression the referee was a little drastic In the free-kicks he awarded against the visitors, when ag many should have been given against the French side. New Zealand Leads at Interval New Zealand led 3-0 at half-time, but were unable to score again. Thirtyseven thousand watched the game at the Parc des Princes Stadium in fine weather. The three-quarters Bevan Hough, the only scorer for New Zealand, scored after a magnificent 50-yard sprint straight down the sideline after Picking up a loose pass from the French three-quarters Joe Crespo. His effort brought the whole crowd to its feet with a roar. France opened their account about

a quarter way through the second spell With a penalty goal, Encouraged by the crowd, the French played, if not roughly, desperately, and seven minutes later came France’s first try. Foncinet opened up to Jacques Merquey, who scored near the corner. another seven minutes later Raymond ontrastin scored a try. The French full-back’s kicking and Merquey’g speed kept the Kiwis on the defensive, The French, on the whole, deserved their victory in a rather poor, closed game, characterised by extremely bad scrumming, with both hookers often lying on the ground before the ball was even in.

Atkinson, McLennan and Muicare were outstanding among the New Zealand forwards, while Hough played the best game in the three-quarters section. The New Zealand backs warmed up in the second half, but their passing was, on the whole, inferior to that of the French. New Zealand kicked off against the sun with no wind. After two minutes the French full-back, Puig Aubert, missed the first penalty kick at 45 yards. Fine Run by Haig New Zealand’s scrum half, Jimmy Haig, made a very fine run of 25 yards i..to French territory before being pulled down. Atkinson suffered an eye Injury in the scrum' and continued with a patch over his eye. The scrums were ragged with a slight favour to the Kiwis in spite of fouling by the French hooker, Martin, which appeared to be overlooked by the referee (Mr Courbieres, of Toulouse).

The Kiwis did not warm up until half-way through the first half. Their hooker wes nearly through once but was pulled up five yards from the French goal line. There were no classical three-quart-er movements by the New Zealanders during the whole of the first half. Close marking and hard tacking by the French forwards smothered the Kiwi backs constantly. The tall red-headed forward, Bill McLennan, was everywhere with the ball bringing cries of "McLennan again” time and again from the French crowd. Atkinson, in spite of his eye injury, followed hard every movement and made several good openings. Mulcare’s careful tackling and canny passing also gave his forwards many openin.,s.

Four minutes after the interval the French full-back, Puig Aubert, had bad luck when, from a penalty kick from 45 yards out. the ball hit the post and bounced back into play. Hough had another brilliant run of 40 .yards which placed him 10 yards from the French goal line before being pushed into touch. The French team then tried barging through by weight and the Kiwis switched from attack to defence and preferred to tackle rather than open out the game. Towards the finish, the scrums were badly formed and though both sides made mistakes, the referee gave free kicks for France each time. Foncinet replaced Baldassin in the team originally announced