A DROPPED GOAL

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 167, 11 April 1935, Page 2

A DROPPED GOAL

Decides International Rugby Match It certainly appears that the New Zealand Rugby team which is to tour Great Britain this year will have to encounter much more serious opposition than the 1905 and 1924 All Blacks met. The match between Wales and Scotland at Cardiff ou February 2 produced a standard of play above that of many recent international games. Wales won by a dropped goal and two tries to two tries. The fact that Wales won by means of that much-discussed form of Rugby scoring, the dropped goal, would not be quoted as an instance of luck, even by rhe most fervent hater of the four-point goal, for Wales, when leading by six points to three, were deprived of the services of Cliff Jones, their fly-half, a cruel piece of misfortune, reports “The Observer.” He hurt his arm, and was off the field for more than half the game, the result being that the passing of the rearranged back division lost all its smoothness during the remaining play. Davey and Woolier, in fact —hard as Idwal Rees, tried to make up for the loss —were only half as effective as before. Outside'the Scrummage. This was lucky for Scotland, as the earlier play had shown that Scotland’s midfield men were not strong enough to bold up these twe powerful runners. Scotland, in fact, had considerably the worse of the argument outside the scrummage. Sometimes Dick tackled well, but his positioning was unsound, and he seemed to be angling for the interception where orthodox defence was required. Had Shaw seen more of the ball the Welsh defence might have been more severely tested. The same remark applies to Johnston, but Fyfe, who had most of the 'chances, was very closely marked and could not circumvent either Idwal Rees, or Fear. Logan had rather the better of a battle of wits and speed with Powell, but seldom got a swift service of the ball from his forwards, while Grieve; overshadowed while Jones was on the field, had opportunities during the second half of exploiting his penetrating aud elusive running. Beattie, leading Scotland’s pack, dwarfed every other forward on the ground. He played an incomparable all-round game, aud at times seemed as if he must be the only forward on the field. The remaining Scottish forwards never took the ball down iu the loose in the old traditional style, were generally beaten for the ball in the tight, and just held their own in the loose, wljere Burnet, Thom, and Laiubie would have seemed great if Beattie had not been there. The Welsh forwards gave an unexpectedly good display of hard pushing tactics, and the introduction of T. Roes and Williams seemed to have a happy effect. Lang was again a big asset in the line-out, mid Day was a model of soundness in his thoughtfulness for his outsides. The Teams. The teams were as follow: — Wales: V. G. J. Jenkins (Bridgend): Idwal Bees (Swansea). Claude Davey (Swansea), (captain), W. Woolier (Cambridge University I. A. Bassett (Aberavon); Cliff Jones (Cambridge University), W. C. i’owell (Northampton): T._ Day (Swansea). C Murphy (Cross Keys), T. Bees (Newport). D Thomas (Swansea), T. Williams (Cross Keys). J.'Lang (Llanelly), A. M. Bees (Cambridge University I, A. 8. Fear (Newport). Scotland: K. W. Marshall (Edinburgh Academicals); w. G. Johnston (Cambridge University), B. C. S. Dick (Guy's Hospital),. B. W. Shaw (Glasgow High School). K. C. Fyfe (Cambridge University)- CF. Grieve (Oxford University!, . R Logan (Edinburgh Wanderers); R. O. Murray (Cambridge University). G. S. Cottington (Kelso). R. M. Grieve (Kelso). J. Beattie (Hawick), W. A. Burnet (West of Scotland) D A. Thom (London Scottish). J A Waters (Selkirk), L. B. Lambie (Glasgow 11. S.). Referee: Mr. F. W. Haslett (Ireland).