Kirwan excels in Twickenham match

Press, 21 April 1986, Page 23

Kirwan excels in Twickenham match

NZPA staff correspondent London The control and pace of the Overseas XV pack and the thunderous attacks from their backs proved far too much for the Five Nations rugby selection at Twickenham on Saturday.

The difference was exemplified by John Kirwan, of Auckland, as a team made up of All Blacks, South Africans and Australians won 3213.

When Kirwan, aged 20, was slipped the ball on the inside by the Springbok flyhalf, Naas Botha, close to the Five Nations line six minutes into the second spell, there was to be no stopping his carving run.

Kirwan, 1.92 m tall and weighing 92kg, accelerated his formidable frame through the gap and crunched into the English turf for a try. The Overseas XV had led only 10-7 at the break and after Kirwan’s irresistible run added four more tries to finish with a tally of six to the home team’s two. The All Black, who alerted Britain to his fullthrottle charges in the other International Rugby Board centennial match at Cardiff Arms Park three days earlier, was much in the action at Twickenham, along with two rugged and speedy Springbok three- quarters, Danie Gerber and Carel Du Plessis. Du Plessis, the Western Province wing, scored the best try seen at Twickenham in years — a welcome relief for British crowds starved of adventurous rugby. The Springbok flew into a counter-attack on halfway after the ball had been run out from the line by Gerber, the Australian fullback, Roger Gould, and Kirwan. Gerber took a return pass inside from Kirwan, ran sideways and spun the ball in a high loop infield. It found the Wallaby No. 8, Steve Tuynman, and there rocketing up inside him was the Springbok i

His 50-metre run was nearly stopped at the tryline, but the might of the Overseas team was again too great. Du Plessis wrestled the ball to the ground even though three oppon-i ents clung to him.

The mobile Australian prop, Enrique Rodriguez, scored largely because of another penetrating sideline dash by Kirwan.Shrugging off the tackle of the outstanding centre, Phillippe Sella, Kirwan was then held by another Frenchman, the fullback, Serge Blanco. But the All Black easily stayed upright and lobbed the ball one-handed infield to the forwards, who charged across the line. As at Cardiff, Kirwan was marked by the speedy English wing, Rory Underwood. Underwood almost made a glorious start, but he was called back by the referee after beating the flimsy tackle of Botha to touch down at the end of the opening Five Nations attack. He combined with the French fullback in long swerving runs which eventually culminated in the first try of the match. The Irish centre, Mike Kiernan, scored in the twenty-third minute when Kirwan knocked down Blanco’s pass and the bounce beat scrambling the All Black centre, Warwick Taylor, on the line. If Underwood had his early moments, Kirwan had the final say in their duel.

As the Overseas dominance grew from supreme forward control in the second spell, Kirwan chased a kick to his line and retrieved. Underwood approached. The All Black’s hand was planted firmly in his chest, the English wing departed horizontally and the ball was calmly kicked to touch. In defence or attack Kirwan was in charge. When the always dangerous Blanco kicked through and across the line it was the New Zealander feho turned and beat hihs to

the ball, plunging on it inches ahead.

Later, though, he said he “made too many mistakes for my liking”. He might have been thinking about one of the final 'Overseas attacks, climaxed by another Kirwan charge. The move ended just short when he was tackled and failed to recognise the ample support close by.

Just a little at fault too was the captain, Andy Dalton, whose late shoulder met and flattened England’s favourite winger.

On Dalton’s credit ledger, though, was the forward effort which he led from hooker to complete control early in the second half. One count said the Overseas XV won 23 lineouts to seven, the rucks 15-8 and mauls 13-5. Only in the penalties did the home side dominate, being awarded 15 to six. In spite of a knee injury, the Taranaki halfback, Dave Loveridge, sent his backs away cleanly with loose ball won by the All Black, Mark Shaw, and the Grand Slam Wallabies, Simon Poidevin and Tuynman. They assisted New Zealand’s Andy Haden and an Australian, Steve Cutler, in the line-outs. The English halfback, Richard Hill, had a lively game behind a beaten pack. Ireland’s excellent jumper and Five Nations captain, Donal Lenihan, and Scottish flanker, John Jeffrey, shone at times.

The Overseas XV’s combination was not always complete, particularly in the first half as the Springbok backs preferred to skip the New Zealanders.

Score: Overseas XV 32 (Gerber (2), Kirwan, Du Plessis, Rodriguez, Shaw tries, Botha two penalty goals, one conversion)

Five Nations 13 (Ringland try, Kiernan try and penalty goal, Blanco conversion).