FRANCE WINS THIRD TEST

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27873, 23 January 1956, Page 2

FRANCE WINS THIRD TEST

RUGBY LEAGUE

N.Z. Plays Hard

Match

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 7 p.m.) PARIS, Jan. 21. France beat New Zealand by 24 points to 3 in the third and final Rugby League test today, axter leading 14-3 at half-time. France has won the test series by two games to one. The New Zealand players, although they looked dangerous at moments in the hardfought match, never dominated the French and spent much of the game fiercely defending their own half. About 20,000 spectators watched the game.

The full-back, Puig Aubert, who scored 12 of his team’s 24 points, and who was wildly cheered by the French crowd for his excellent kicking, opened the score in the filth minute with a penalty kick from 40 yards. Ten minutes later he put the ball cleanly over the crossbar for a second penalty goal, from about 25 yards. The New Zealanders made their first bid to score when the right wing, Richard Haggie, sprinted for the line, but was pulled down within eight yards of it. In the nineteenth minute, a second-row forward, John Butterfield, seized the ball in a loose scrummage which formed after Haggle’s tackle and forged across the line to score. Roy Moore missed a difficult conversion.

Aubert, famous for his long distance kicking, unsuccessfully tried to score a third penalty, this time from the halfway line.

Gilbert Benausse, the French fly-half, then caught a neat dummy from the forward Gabriel Bethomieu, saw his opening, and raced over to score the first French try in the twenty-fourth minute. Aubert converted.

New Zealand appeared to be relying on bulldozing tactics by its strongly-built pack. It was these tactics which broke down the French defences in the Lyons match.

The hooker, David Blanchard, tried to charge through the opposing forwards repeatedly, but was pulled down each time.

In the thirtieth minute, Benausse picked up a loose ball at top speed, just kept his balance, and lobbed it to the winger, Maurice Coron, who scored after a dash down the right wing. Aubert failed to convert.

The French three-quarters attacked fiercely in the next five minutes. Aubert, from a pass from the three-quarter line, diop-kicked the ball between the posts in the thirty-fourth minute. At half-time the score was 14-3.

New Zealand Counter-Attack New Zealand, led by its fast and forceful scrum-half, Selwyn Balsham, attacked hard in the second half, but the French were quick at interception, fast to take advantage of New Zealand mistakes, and tackled in deadly fashion. In the forty-second minute, Gilbert Savonne, French left wing, scored a perfect three-quarter try after a breakthrough by the forwards. He raced over the line without opposition, and Aubert converted.

The New Zealand pack, which put up a strong fight, gave equal measure in hard tackling as the game swung back and forward in the centre of the pitch. William MacLennan was dragged down regularly as he charged head-first into the French forwards. Blanchard, John Butterfield, and Henry Maxwell played a persistent and hard game. The full-back, Roy Moore, faced by the clever kicking of Aubert, was slow to cover the spaces and was often tackled in possession when he should have kicked quickly to touch. He showed no great turn of speed.

Aubert.- however, who was regularly fed by his three-quarters, sent’ the New Zealand defence running back time after time as he kicked the ball over their heads into an unnoticed hole. Belsham made one fine run, but his high pass was intercepted. Haggie tried a penalty goal awarded for a scrum infringement in the second half, but missed. In the seventy-fifth minute, Jackie Merquey, the French centre three-quarter, ran over to score after a forward movement had given him the ball. Aubert converted.

Criticism Of Referee

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

P- m ) PARIS, Jan. 21. British Rugby League president, Mr G. Royd, and Mr William Fallowfield, the League’s secretary, both criticised the referee in today's match between France and New Zealand. The match was refereed by Mr Georges Hue. officials said that it was spoilt bv the man in the middle.”

“We have seen Mr Hue referee much better than he did today. Should he be selected to referee in England this season we sincerely hope he will have reformed. The first French try, in our opinion, was the. result of a hand-on, and the second was thrown through the air at least 10 yards forward.

.u the French team was evidently the better side. As for the New Zealand full-back, Moore, he should never have been selected. He was too slow and never once tried to find touch before being pulled down,” they said.