N.Z.U. Win Easily But Critics Not Impressed

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32233, 27 February 1970, Page 15

N.Z.U. Win Easily But Critics Not Impressed

(N.Z P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) HONG KONG

The New Zealand Universities Rugby team yesterday left Hong Kong to start a 10match tour of Japan after earning scant praise from local newspapers for Its performance against a Colony XV on Wednesday night The N.Z.U. beat Hong Kong 20-0, but one newspaper, the Hong Kong “Standard,” recommended that they go “back to the classroom before they took on the Japanese.” "They dropped so many passes It was reminiscent of the gentle rain that falleth in May.”, The paper quoted the N.Z.U. captain, G. Kember, as saying: “We thought we were in for an easy match, but they bustled us and just wouldn’t let us settle down."

The South China “Mornin; Post” reported the niatcl under the headline, “Gallan Hong Kong Hustle N.Z. Ou ' Of Their Stride.” It said “tin » myth of the New Zealani r University Rugby was ex i ploded.” - But for erratic handling / the N.Z.U. would have rur up a much bigger scon j against the Colony XV, but i' ) was clearly a class above thi - opposition, which had little t< ) offer but a hard-tackling de » fence. ’ The star of the New Zea ) land side was the centre, G f S. Thome, who rounded off i i fine game with a inagnificen ran from inside his own hali s to score in the corner. s For N.Z.U., M. P. Collins, E 5 Taylor, Theme and MeLellar t scored tries, and Kembei t kicked two penalties and i ' conversion.