Top rugby score

Press, 22 June 1981, Page 19

Top rugby score

The All Blacks accomplished the highest score in New Zealand international rugby history in beating Scotland, 40-15, on a day of records and notable achievements at Eden Park on Saturday. The previous record score was 38 points, which had been posted three times: against France in 1906 and against Australia in 1936 and 1972. The All Blacks’ 38-3 win against the “woeful Wallabies” on the latter occasion remains the record winning margin but Saturday’s aggregate of 55 points surpassed the record of 51 established by the 1936 Dunedin test, which New Zealand won, 3813.

Saturday’s score might not be universally accepted as a record. Some authorities, including New Zealand’s foremost rugby historian, Arthur Carman, give test status to a match between New Zealand and All America at Berkeley, California, in 1913. New Zealand won this game, 51-3. It was part of a 16-match tour of the United States and Canada. There are, however, a number of good reasons for questioning whether this game was a test. It was only a second New Zealand team and the All American side was composed entirely of Californian students. It also falls short of the criterion that the New Zea-

land Rugby Union has applied in recent years — the United States was not, and never has been, a member of the International Rugby Board. In fact, New Zealand’s game against Rumania later this year is, according to the N.Z.R.F.U., the first test between New Zealand and a non-1.R.8. member. Games in recent years against other non-1.R.8. members such as Fiji, Argentina and Italy have been deemed unofficial tests. “The Press” chief rugby writer, John Brooks, feels that the All American game falls more properly in this category.

The All Blacks’ previous biggest win against Scotland was by 24-0 on a waterlogged Eden Park six years ago.

On Saturday the New Zealand full-back, Allan Hewson, set a national record by kicking six conversions from seven attempts and the former record-holder, the legendary Bob Scott, was there to cheer him along. Hewson also came within four points of Fergie McCormick’s world record of 24, which was accomplished on the same ground against Wales in 1969. Even Don Clarke did not get as many points as Hewson in a test

Stuart Wilson, who scored three tries on the right wing for New Zealand, passed Sid

Going, Frank Mitchinson, and Bryan Williams to become the All Blacks’ second most prolific test try-scorer after lan Kickpatrick. Wilson now has 11 test tries, five of them on Eden Park and 36 in all games for New Zealand. On the Scottish side Andy Irvine’s eight points took his tour aggregate to 56, which equalled the record put up by his former compatriot, Wilson Lauder, in Australia in 1970.

The Scots, who have the dubious distinction of holding the record for the biggest international rugby defeat — 44-0 at South Africa’s hands in 1951-52 — have never beaten New Zealand.

In spite of misgivings about the effect of the live television coverage of the test, a crowd of about 44,000 was at Eden Park for the game. The day was fine, the pitch played well in spite of showers the previous day, there were no incidents or demonstrations, and the crowd was complimented on its sporting outlook.

Irvine said, "I must express my thanks to you for your behaviour during the game. This certainly wasn’t a one-eyed crowd.”