Rugged French Play Defeats Otago

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31725, 8 July 1968, Page 20

Rugged French Play Defeats Otago

(From N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent, PAUL CAVANAGH) DUNEDIN. France played rugged, bruising Rugby to beat Otago, 12-6, at Carisbrook on Saturday to make its record a win and a loss from the first two games of the tour.

France fielded a “new look” team against Otago, and there was a new look about its Rugby compared with the disappointing display in its 24-19 loss to Marlborough last Wednesday. The improvement came in hard, driving play by the forwards and determined, and at times dangerous, tackling by the backs. The Frenchmen tackled at great pace and at head height, taking a toll on the Otago team. Four Injured Four Otago players had to leave the field; but the new international ruling which permits two replacements enabled Otago to finish the game with 13 men. The All Black first fiveeighths E. W. Kirton, was replaced by A. J. Clark, a brother of the 1964 All Black loose forward, D. W. Clark. The flanker, S. H. Reaney was replaced by S. Wilson. Later in the half Wilson had to be sent to the backline when D. J. Robertson, the second five-eighths, went off. Wilson played on the left wing, E. D. Duckworth went to full-back, E. E. Taylor went from full-back to centre, and the centre, S. R. Inglis, moved to second five-eighths. Just before the end. the Otago prop, L. A. Clark, unrelated to the other two, had to be carried off on a stretcher. No Quarter The Frenchmen asked no quarter in the close exchanges and the rucking and scrummaging was fierce. Some of it, and some of the head-high tackles which were often made after the Otago players had got rid of the ball, went beyond the realm of fair play at times and the referee, Mr A. R. Taylor, of Canterbury, awarded 16 penalties to Otago in the second half when play was at its fiercest. Altogether, Mr Taylor awarded 35 penalties—24 of them to Otago and 11 to the Frenchmen. Otago began well and its forwards, outjumped in the line-outs by the taller Frenchmen, A. Plantefol, W. Spanghero and E. Cester, more than held their own in the rucks— Reaney, W. W. Townsend and the No. 8, H. Morrison, ensuring that any dropped passes among the French backs were quickly turned to Otago’s advantage. France played into the sun in the first half and Otago used the up and under to great effect, bustling the Frenchmen into errors when taking a high kick. Alertness Pays Alterness and quick fol-lowing-up by the forwards led to both Otago’s tries in the first half. The forwards were on hand to take the ball ahead when the right wing, D. R. Edward, spilled the ball in a tackle before the halfback, G. L. Colling, dived to score. When Cester tapped the ball

back in a line-out near France’s line and it over-shot the half-back, M. Puget, the Otago hooker, G. P. Booth, was round the front of the line-out in a flash to fall or the ball and score. The ragged play by the Frenchmen and their height and weight advantage began to tell on the Otago pack which weakened as the game wore on. Spurred by the loss of two players in the closing stages, the forwards fought back well. Captain Impresses France’s changed back-line from the opening game was much more impressive. The exciteable little captain, Puget, was more in the game than J. L. Berot was last Wednesday. Puget sent his backs away well and was not averse to lending a hand in the racks. P. Villepreux played steadily at full-back but missed six attempts at penalties. He brought great penetration by providing the speedy wings, A. Campaes and J. M. Bonal, with the overlap. The centres, J. P Lux and C. Dourthe, impressed. Dourthe in particular was ready to look for work on any part of the ground, but he was one of the main offenders with the questionable tackling. The French forwards were all a rugged lot, the props, J. Riacabal and J. M. Esponda, making sure that Otago felt the full force of the French scram when the packs went down. Otago Tired The front rows stood off and crashed together and it became more noticeable as the game wore on that Otago was beginning to give. However courageously Otago played, there was no disguising the fact that the Frenchmen with the ball were always a danger. The greater speed and purpose of the backs and the controlled play of the forwards were a constant threat to Otago. When the French backs swung into action there always seemed the likelihood of points. The manager of the French team (Mr A. Garrigue) said after the game that he had been pleased with the side’s performance; before the match the emphasis had been on tightening forward play, and this had resulted. Asked to comment on sug-

gestions of over-vigorous play, Mr Garrigue said he had found that referees in New Zealand were just as strict on rough play as they were in France. He said he had a duty to attend to in this respect for future games. Colling scored for Otago after five minutes. Edward had flicked the ball back when tackled by Villepreux after a run down the sideline. The Otago forwards were up quickly in support and Colling dived on the ball. Edward could not convert from near the side. After 15 minutes Campaes equalised for France after a move started by the French forwards, Cester, Spanghero and M. Greffe. Greffe linked up with the backs and Campaes had the overlap to score in a tackle by the Otago full-back, Taylor. After 25 minutes Otago led, 6-3, when Booth scored when Puget failed to gather a Cester knock-back from the line-out. Quick Effort France put on its winning points within 11 minutes of the start of the second half. After five minutes Bonal scored a try. Two minutes later Villepreux put France in front with a penalty after a scram infringement. Then Bonal won a race with several Otago defenders after the ball had been kicked over the line from loose play. The game was played in bright sunshine, although a cool northerly wind swept across the ground. A crowd of 22,400 paid $19,000 to see the match. Scorers were.—France: J. M. Bonal (2), A. Campaes, tries; P. Villepreux a penalty. Otago: G. L. Colling and G. P. Booth, tries.