BY ONE POINT

Evening Star, Issue 25425, 5 March 1945, Page 6

BY ONE POINT

FRENCH STUDENTS BEAT NEW ZEALANDERS GREAT RUGBY GAME IN PARIS (N.Z.I'.A. Special Correspondent.) (Rcc. 10.45 a.m.) PARIS, March 4. Running the New Zealanders off their feet in the last 20 minutes of the game, Paris University Club beat New Zealand Services by 12 points to 11, scoring the winning try three minutes before the final whistle. The New Zealanders were flattered by their score, eight of the points coming from good kicking by F. Crist, who scored from two penalties and converted a try by R. A. Roper. The P.U.C. (Paris Univcristy Club) scored four tries, and were a much faster and fitter side. Four tries to one was perhaps the truest assessment of the merits of the two teams.

The New Zealanders flew to Paris the day before the match which was played at the Pare des Princes, Auteuil, which can hold 40,000 people, but the crowd numbered less than 3,000, since Saturday is not a public holiday, but Sunday and Monday. The two teams marched on to the field together with the New Zealand ensign fluttering at the head of the' column. They lined up in front _of the grandstand, and stood at attention while the National Anthems were played, then led by A. W. Wordley, a/ former Maori All Black, the New Zealanders gave a haka, which delighted the crowd. Before the kick-'sff the New Zealand captain, E. Grant, who played for Scotland last week, presented the French captain with a New Zealand flag and received a pennant in return.

In addition to those mentioned, the New Zealand team included R. M. McKenzie, who also played for Scotland, M. P. Goddard; who played for England, L. Wallace, who holds Cambridge University caps, and J. D. Ridlanci. M. V. Hill, E. Geary, H. E. A. Stewart;

It. W. Squires, N. A. Elmes. R. A Dalton, and D. W. Black.

The New Zealanders started sluggishly, and the handling and passing by the backs were poor. As a result the Frenchmen dominated the clay for the first quarter of an hour. Then Crist kicked a long-range penalty from an awkward angle. Wallace was heeling the ball regularly from the scrum, and New Zealand took most of the play, and Crist kicked an easy penalty, eiving the visitors a sis-point lead against the run of the play. The Frenchmen, whose running wa6 magnificent but whose holding was often erratic, nearly scored before half time.

The second half began with a grand dribbling rush by the New Zealand forwards, and from a line-out Roper cut through to score near the posts, giving Crist another easy kick. With an 11points lead and apparently finding their form it looked as though the New Zealanders were set, but Roper received a rib injury when he scored and weru out to the, wing, Grant comiug in as three-quarters. This change marked the beginning of the New Zealanders' decline, the back line combination breaking down and the French ba<:ks finding weak spots in the defence. The result was that they began to score. The French forwards were also now hooking regularly and the backs were well fed. The excitement grew wh'n their right wing, who was thciastest man on the field, beat Hill in a 40yds race to touch down. The Frenchmen were now on top and urged on by students chanting " Allez Puc, Allez Puc," they scored acain, reducing the New Zealanders' lead to* 2 points. Grant returned to the wing, but the New Zealanders were now a tired team, and the speed of the French backs had them beaten. The final try came with the French right wing going over in the corner with three men on top of him, and Gallic enthusiasm reached such a height that tlie score board marker even .indicated the Puc reading by 21 to 11 instead of 12.

It was a great moment for the French when the final whistle went and they stood on the field shaking hands with the grinning, panting New Zealanders. That evening the French students produced an excellent dinner for the Xe\y Zealanders, despite rationing difficulties, when short speeches were made and the French and New Zealanders sang songs alternately. Dr Macheboeuf, who is president of the French Rugby Union, was presented

with a fern leaf badge and a Rugby ball for Paris University. Thanking the New Zealauders, Dr Macheboeuf said the students had been dreaming of such games as Swas played that afternoon for five years. The R.A.F. referee complimented both teams on the clean, fast game. The New Zealanders saw Versailles and the Folies Bergeres before returning to England.