REFEREE BLAMED—AND BAD TACKLING Kiwi World Cup hopes upset by Frenchmen

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33060, 30 October 1972, Page 26

REFEREE BLAMED—AND BAD TACKLING Kiwi World Cup hopes upset by Frenchmen

(From

ALAN GRAHAM,

N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent)

MARSEILLES.

Although scoring three tries to three the New Zealand Rugby league team was out-scrummed and out-kicked, and lost to France, 20-9, in the opening world Cup match on Saturday.

Down only 6-11 at half-time and 9-12 halfway into the second half, the Kiwis attacked strongly and had every chance. But bad tackling allowed France to score two breakaway tries and New Zealand was unable to score again in spite of its pressure in the last 10 minutes. The scorers for New Zealand were P. C. Orchard (2), and M. P. Brereton. Tries for France came from J. M. Bonal (2) and A. Ruiz, while Guilheim (4) and Bonal kicked goals, and M. Frattini added a dropped goal. Scrum count The Kiwis blamed the French referee, Mr Georges Jameau, for the scrum count of 23-12 against New Zealand, saying he penalised them twice for offences which France clearly committed. But what really cost New Zealand the game was tackles missed by the forwards and the brilliant goalkicking by Guilheim, whose shots with the slight wind were from 45, 50, 35 and 54 yards. He missed only twice, and then narrowly from long range. The penalty count was 8-5 to France, and most of the French penalties were for obvious offences and two were against D. A. Williams for incorrectly-taken kick-offs. The main tackling offenders included two men, D. J. Gailey and M. K. Eade, who otherwise played brilliantly. Eade made several breaks in the second half from which New Zealand almost scored. M. H. Mohi, who suffered

an ankle injury early, was another who attacked well but made defensive errors. W. P. Gurnick had a fine first test in the Kiwi scrum, and R. H. Paul and A. P. Coll, who replaced Paul with half an hour remaining both deserved another chance. Paul, Mohi and the centre,

J. C. O’Sullivan, finished the game with ankle injuries. All the backs, with the possible exception of B. J. Tracey played well. France won many scrums from Tracey’s put-in, and he missed all three of his kicks at goal, although they were difficult ones from the sideline. Williams,' at stand-off, kicked badly and made only one break. However, the Kiwis scored a brilliant try from that one, and he also tackled especially well. Tries just reward Orchard, Brereton, F. R. Christian and O’Sullivan, supported by the running full-back, J. A. Whittaker, used their rare supply of ball effectively and three tries were a just reward. But the French threw panic into the back five with their kicking whereas New Zealand’s tactical kicks rarely gained them anything.

The second row forwards, V. Serrano and S. Gleyzes, starred for the French and made brilliant breaks down the middle, but the French backs did not look dangerous. Although they scored al) the tries, they had the last pass from forwards. The New Zealand manager, Mr T. J. Wellsmore, said that he blamed the referee for France’s big scrum advantage, and added that Mr Jameau missed too many knock-ons. “But our forwards lost the

game because they would not tackle. You cannot win games when backs constantly have to tackle forwards," he said. The coach, Mr D. A. Barchard. thought New Zealand would win at 9-12 with 20 minutes to go because the Kiwis had all the running at that time.

“We let them get away and these Frenchmen were too quick to be allowed the chances we gave them,” he said.