Ireland triumphs without playing

Press, 8 March 1982, Page 23

Ireland triumphs without playing

NZPA Paris Ireland secured the Five Nations championship outright without touching a ball and Scotland sent France reeling within one match of the wooden spoon in week-end rugby union matches.

Ireland's triumph came when Wales, the only team capable of equalling its six points from three games, went down 7-17 to a confident England at Twickenham. Scotland recovered from a hesitant start in wind-swept Edinburgh to outplay a dispirited French XV by an almost identical score. 16-7. England surged to an 11-0 lead by the twenty-sixth minute in its annual set-to against Wales with tries by Lancashire wings Mike Slemen and John Carleton. The only score of the second half was full-back Dusty Hare's third penalty and Wales never looked equal to the task of reducing England's advantage after its main strike force, scrum half Terry Holmes, had left the field with an injured shoulder in the forty-seventh minute.

Forward Rhodri Lewis scored the Welsh try and captain Gareth Davies dropped a goal. It was England’s highest home score against Wales since 1921 and the Welsh tumbled to their seventh successive away defeat.

The English coach, Mike Davis, said: “It has still to be a good season for us because of the way we have played in

the last two games, To draw in Scotland was quite a good performance, but we simply did not play well against Ireland.” . . The English captain Steve Smith said: "I told the lads at half-time that Wales are often like Houdini and snatch a late victory. I knew we had to score again, preferably quickly. The back row played particularly well and I thought we were unlucky not to take more advantage ol some great tackling.” Rhys Williams, chairman of the Welsh selectors, said: “Our forwards played pretty well, but you have got to give credit to England.” Scrum half Terry Holmes suffered a sprung joint in his shoulder, which will almost certainly keep him out of Wales’ last match against Scotland in Cardiff later this month.

Scotland got the better of a scrappy game against the French at Murrayfield, leaving it late to harness its superiority in the pack and dispel the hesitancy among the three-quarters. The turning point in the match came nine minutes in the second half with the French on top, leading 7-6 and with an easy penalty just to the right of the posts. Stand-off JeanPatrick Lescarboura made a mess of his kick and Scotland soon returned to the other end where centre Jim Renwick dropped a goal neatly. Scotland took heart from this gift and the reward came after 57 minutes, when stand-off John Rutherford

dived over for his second successive Five Nations try after the Scots forwards had set up and won three consecutive mauls. Skipper Andy Irvine missed the conversion, but nine minutes later was on target to make the score 16-7 with a long-range penalty after his counterpart. JeanPierre Rives, had been penalised 10 metres for disrupting a decision. The first half was a disappointment with both sides looking keen to open play, but unable to string their passes together. Scotland struck first with a penalty goal by Andy Irvine after three minutes, but France had the best of the play and three minutes before halftime, Captain Rives broke away from a maul to run in near the posts for a popular try. Sallefranque hit an injurytime penalty to put the French 7-3 up at the break, but a reply by Irvine seven minutes into the second half closed the gap to one point. The Scottish coach, Mr Jim Telfer, said this proved that in spite of the criticisms after the defeat in Dublin. Scotland was a good side. “We played good rugby and it' is not our fault if the French were not up to much,” he said. PWD L P 1. Ireland 3 3 0 0 6 2. England 4 2 115 3. Scotland 3 1113 4. Wales 3 10 22 5. France 3 0 0 3 0 Matches to come.-March 20: France v. Ireland and Wales v Scotland. ____