AS OTHERS SEE US

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31579, 17 January 1968, Page 13

AS OTHERS SEE US

'Reprinted Item Sports Ilustrated by permission. 1967 Times Inc.

'J'HE play of the 1967 All Blacks on their tour of the British Isles and France received almost universal praise. Interest in the tour, however, was not confined just to major Rugby playing countries. “Sports Illustrated,” a leading American sports magazine, devoted a special article to the match between New Zealand and Wales. Written by Gwilym S. Thomas, it gives a different view of Rugby from that held by New Zealanders and, perhaps, the Welsh. “Rugby is the national sport of New Zealand, played by New Zealanders from the time they are old

enough to know that Kiwi does not necessarily stand for shoe polish. “The conversational spark will ignite when you talk to a New Zealander about Rugby. Talk to him especially about the All Blacks, the national All-Star team that is now in the midst of a 16-match tour of Europe and that just happens to be the biggest, toughest and best Rugby team anywhere. “Of course, this last statement might be disputed on the little peninsula of Wales. Wales has given the world more than its share of heroes, sporting and otherwise. Lynn Davies, the defending broad jump champion, for one. Or how about a prime minister, a brilliant poet, a couple of film stars and a wizard or two? But

do not bore a Welshman with talk about broad jumpers, or David Lloyd George, Dylon Thomas, Richard Burton or Merlin. Talk to him about Rugby.” “Rugby is the national sport of Wales, too, and is played by Welshmen from the time they are old enough to put the slug on anyone with the temerity to recite the scurrilous limerick about Taffy, the beef thief. “You may also talk about the All Blacks in Wales, but duck. The Welsh just do not agree that the All Blacks are the biggest, best and toughest Rugby team there is anywhere. “The furore began in 1905 at the first Rugby meeting between the two countries. Deans’s try was disallowed, and Wales won and for 62 years the incident has

served as Rugby's version of the Dempsey-Tunney long count. “This year’s New Zealand team is something of a switch from tradition, says Thomas. Rugby is a complex game, but suffice to say that past New Zealand teams have won with brute strength rather than agile speed and ball handling. United States football fans know the style as ’threeyards and a cloud of dust’.” In his report of the match, Thomas described W. M. Birtwistle as “one who has a gaunt face that bears an amazing resemblance to a beardless Abraham Lincoln and ran as if he feared instant annihilation.” Once gaining a 13-6 lead. New Zealand reverted to “three yards and a wallop of mud. . . .”