LEAGUE TEST BRAWL

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31561, 26 December 1967, Page 14

LEAGUE TEST BRAWL

(Special Crspdt. N.Z.P.A ) CARCASSONNE (France),

In a wild, brawling match which finished four minutes early, France beat Australia, 10-3, in the second Rugby League test on a heavy ground at Carcassonne on Sunday.

In the second half there was a brawl, involving nearly every player on the field. Early in the game. France’s full-back, P. Lacaze, was knocked out with a stiff-arm

tackle. In the second half, G Andrieu was taken off injured after getting rid of the ball and France played the last 14 minutes one man short. After the second-half incident had calmed down, the referee, Mr Breysse, made the captains, J. Raper and G. Ailleres, shake hands. Mr Breysse did not caution any players nor did he send any off the field. He showed considerable laxity when he did not even speak to the Kangaroo centre, G. Langlands, after he had knocked Lacaze out of the game with a stiff-arm tackle out in the open in the first half. He also showed a lack of

authority when he allowed the Kangaroo forward, P. Gallagher, to push him in one incident. The famous French goal-kicking full-back, J. PuigAubert, condemned the referee after the match. “The referee was France’s best player,” he said. “He ruined the game and it was a shame to watch him.”

The Kangaroos’ only consolations from the match were that they won the fight and scored the only try. The centre, J. Greaves, made a sharp diagonal run to the left corner before dummying to the wing and then straightening up to score. For France, G. Andrieu kicked four goals and J. Capdouze a field goal.