Irish Share Rugby Lead

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31317, 13 March 1967, Page 3

Irish Share Rugby Lead

(NZ.P.A.Reuter—Copyright) CARDIFF. A try in the third minute by the winger, A. Duggan, gave Ireland a 3-0 win over Wales at Cardiff on Saturday in the international Rugby championship.

It was only the third time since the Second World War that the Irish had won in Wales.

The championship table is:

Ireland and Scotland now share first place in the championship, each with four points from three matches. Wales, outright winner of the championship for the last two seasons, is having a lean period and has yet to win this season. Gibson’s Fine Break Ireland attacked strongly in the opening minutes and its score came when the brilliant fly-half, M. Gibson, made a fine break from the Welsh “25.” B. Price tackled Gibson, and when the ball went loose Ireland regained possession. The centre three-quarter, J. Walsh, then sent a cross kick over the Welsh line, and Duggan raced in to beat two Welsh defenders to touch down for the vital try. The match was a triumph for Ireland’s 29-year-old captain, ■N. Murphy, who is his country’s most-capped player with 36 international appearances. From the back row, he led the side with tremendous spirit. Defensive Backs

The Irish front row gave nothing away in the scrum and as the game went on W. Mcßride, M. Molloy and K. Goodall gained most of the clean possession in the lineouts. Most of the work of the backs was restricted to defence.

Until the last 15 minutes when Wales decided to run with the ball, the home side offered little threat. D. Watkins recalled at stand-off and as captain, too often lost ground, but he did make one fine run near the end which went close to scoring.

p W L P A Pts Scotland 3 2 1 23 18 4' Ireland 3 2 1 11 11 4 England 2 1 1 20 19 2 France 2 1 1 24 21 2 Wales 2 9 2 5 14 0