Boyd’s try defies French control

Press, 22 June 1989, Page 52

Boyd’s try defies French control

From

BOB SCHUMACHER,

in Blenheim

New Zealand’s shortest day for 1989 will stay long in the memory of the Nelson Bays second five-eighths, Ken Boyd, who scored the sole try for the Seddon Shield rugby selection which succumbed to France, 39-13, at Lansdowne Park yesterday.

The composite team played with gusto, its commitment was commendable as was its courage, but the French, without ever producing champagne rugby, were in charge of proceedings throughout and their seven tries to one advantage fairly reflected their superiority. But for the 8000 specfactors basking under blue skies and warm sun, the match will best be remembered for Boyd’s try four minutes before halftime. A Maori representative for Nelson Bays, Marlborough and Canterbury, Boyd completed a fine attacking thrust which had its origins inside Seddon Shield territory. The centre, Paul Phillips, remaining on his feet in a tackle, provided a launching pad from which the captain, lock Frank Marfell, propelled many metres before Willie Dempster lent a timely helping hand. A quick ruck was won and'lan Stark and Phillips handled before Boyd, a diminutive fellow, was given a little freedom. He made good his escape; a dummy pass deceived one defender, a body twist defied the tackle of the French centre, Marc Andrieu, and the French resistance had been wiped out.

The late first-half try had the Seddon Shield selection behind 19-7 at the break, but the possession, except for the scrum put-in, dried up in the second half and it was only a stream of penalties flowing against / the French which enabled the home team to keep France to a trickle of points. The referee, Dave Bishop, of Southland, penalised the French 15 times in the second half and they received only two, one of them being their penalty try near the end when several Seddon Shield players were blatantly offside as France shoved towards and inevitable pushover try from a 5m scrum. The French penchant for obstructing players off the ball did not go unobserved by Mr Bishop and their failure to retire when penalised and frequent infringements typified their lack of discipline on tour. It did not prove costly yesterday, but it did in the first est and similar misdemeanours could be expensive again in the second test on July 1. Apart from the frequency of the offending and times of disorganisation, France displayed enough muscle and flair with its second-string XV to suggest that it will be a

more competitive force in the second half of its tour. Although Marfell and Lenny Mason timed their leaps to perfection in the early lineouts, the French locks — Oliver Roumat, especially, and Pascal Beraud — soared like the Eiffel Tower to claim an over-all 17-8 advantage and the pack drove at pace, the ball-carrier seldom short of support. The uncapped JeanFrancois Tordo, a curlyheaded flanker from Toulon and a late selection for the team, triggered warning signals to the test incumbents that he was desirous to higher honours, and another unheralded player and surprise choice for the tour, Pierre Hontas, unveiled all the attributes of a high-class wing as he scored his three tries. He had poise and purpose and, . most importantly, pace.' Hontas opened the scoring with a clever little kick behind the defence which he retrieved and his speed brought him two. in the second half, the cover defence unable to spread wide in time. Harve Chabowski, whose main contribution in his only other appearance, against Manawatu, was two consecutive head butts, put his head to more effective use yesterday and burrowed across

for a try as did Beraud after Tordo and Alain Carminati had the drive rolling. The penalty try came four minutes from the end and the French captain and half-back, Henri Sanz, collected the last in the final minute after Andrieu linked with Tordo and Philippe Benetton in a sweeping move. The Seddon Shield selection from areas known as the “United Nations” failed to sop French hostilities, but their devotion to duty allowed them to maintain peace for long intervals and Boyd’s try proved they were not flying a white flag. • Marfell had a vigorous game, so, too, did the hooker, Johnnie MacDonald, who cheeikly raked a tight-head from the first French scrum put-in, and Boyd and Phillips had the ability to beat' their marker and break a tackle. A little nervousness out wide might even have cost the combined selection two more tries. For France, Pierre Hontas (3), Harve Chabowski, Pascal Beraud and Henri Sanz scored tries; a penalty try was awarded; and Jean-Marc Lescure kicked four conversions and a dropped goal. For Seddon Shield XV, Ken Boyd scored a try and lan Stark kicked three penalty goals.