RUGBY TOUR

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 17, 19 December 1927, Page 2

RUGBY TOUR

WARATAHS DEFEATED BY SCOTLAND. FIRST INTERNATIONAL LOSS. LONDON. Dec. 17. Scotland beat the AVaratalis at Rugby by 10 points to 8. An exciting match, watched by. 50,000 spectators, resulted in the AVaratahs’ first defeat in their international games. Their combination and clever resourceful attack and defence were spoilt by Scotland’s very fast forward work and quick following up. Simmers, who. was in great form, led up to both tries. After a run lie punted over Ross’s head, Graham being up to get the try, Drysdale converting and putting Scotland level three minutes after Lawton had converted a try by Ford, which was obtained twenty-eight minutes after the opening of the' game In the Waratahs’ effort AVallace, Breckenridge and Jack Ford handled. Halftime score was five points all. Twenty-five minutes on in the second half Simmers cross-kicked, Welsh gathering in the ball and going over. Drysdale placed the goal. ' The AVaratahs' finish strongly, and a great attack ended in Jack Ford scoring a clever try. Lawton’s kick was only a yard wide. Two stoppages in this half were not allowed for by the referee.

The Waratahs were going strong when the whistle sounded and might have saved the match had the time lost been played. Still, on the play Scotland were the better side with safer handling and better footwork among the forwards, who held their own in scrummaging and the line-out. The AVaratahs were probably handicapped by the cold ball and frostbound ground. There were many slips when near the line, Wallace especially twice coming down. The AVaratahs, however, should with the ground difficult to turn on have exploited the short forward punt more.—A. and N.Z. cable.