RUGBY INTERNATIONAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 75, 24 February 1930, Page 7

RUGBY INTERNATIONAL.

ENGLAND DEFEATS FRANCE. LONDON, Feb. 22. In the Rugby international played at Twickenham,. England deieated Trance by il points to five. “All France” listened-in to a description of the play. T rance had already defeated Scotland and Ireland, ana was very keen on winning the championship. Twenty-two barrels of red wine weie bro ugkt over for the use of the players. Tire teams were as follow: England (.two names missing)—Askew, Reeve, Novos, Jacob, Robson, Sobey, Spong, Rew, Tucker, Bateson, Black, Forrest, and Benton. France—Ambert, Bigot, Cody, Garnel. Majerus, Bioussa, Galba, liibere, Serin, Magnanou, Saniatan (the soldier for whom M. Tardieu asked special leave), Baillette, Gerald. FLoudet, and Biquemal. “Magnifique !’’ shouted a Frenchman as Rol son destroyed France’s hopes of Rugby Union “parity” by scoring a marvellous try. The attendance was over 50,000, and included Prince Georgo and the French Ambassador, and many delegates to the Naval Conference. The wind was light and the weather perfect. The short passing of the French forwards was delightful. Their supporters went wild at the end of a quarter of an hour when Serin scored a fine try, which Ambert converted. The French repeatedly attacked, in which Samatan, a slim youth with a shock of red hair, shone out, working in combination with Serin, who also is red-headed and is wonderful at throwing the ball. Stobey ami Spong put up a great defence. , After twentyeight minutes’ play Reeve scored and Black failed to convert. Just before the interval Robson, who won the inter-’varsity match for Oxford, made a wonderful run from half-way, eluding half-a-dozen Frenchmen, including Piquemal, who is a great full-back, and scored a try, which Black did not convert. The latter also failed with the three penalty shots at goal. The first spell ended: England 6, France 5.

England was consistently better in the scrum in the second half, getting the ball nearly every time. The French showed brilliant flashes and great speed, especially Gerald and Baillette. Robson almost scored again, being brought down right on the line. Periton scored the final try, Black converting. The crowd carried off the scrum-half, Spong, who played the game of his life. Ribere, the French captain, said: “It was one of the hardest games I have ever played. It was magnificent. We failed to win, but winning is not everything. The English are a splendid team.” Sana Tucker, playing his twenty-fifth international match, and who captained England for the first time, described it as a great and hard game, from beginning to end. There were many hard knocks and minor injuries, but it was played in fine sporting spirit. A telegram of good wishes was received from the new French Premier, M. Chautemps, who was formerly the centre-tlireequarter of the Racing Club de France team, in response to a mes-sao-o of congratulation from the French team to ‘‘the first Rugby man to be Premier of France.” England’s Rugby Union victory over France may be described as a triumph of beer over Bordeaux, for each of the French team brought to London a little cask of that wine gaily painted red, white and blue, with a Gallic cock at one end.