SCOTLAND’S RUGBY DEFEAT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 11 April 1928, Page 5

SCOTLAND’S RUGBY DEFEAT

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, Ist March

Scottish Rugby is passing through a lean time. Champions in 1925. they have shared the honours with Ireland in tin* past two seasons, but now they seem like holding the wooden spoon with France. The latter arc the only team they have beaten, and they have had thirty-two points scored against them ns compared with the twenty they have got themselves. Even France have shown more scoring power. In all Scutland's mat dies the trouble has been behind the scrummage. Men who have done so well for t-liree years have gone off. and the new ones tried have not been satisfactory. Another handicap lias been the inability of lari Smith, the living wing man. to play owing to injury. In the match with Ireland the selectors gambled. They put a young player named 11. Lind at stand-off half, and he was out of his class. As a matter of fad lie had been judged on in’s performances in second-class football, and hi this game lie was all at sea. The Scottish forwards got tin* hall well enough, and Lind took liis passes cleanly, 1 illt lie had liiile idea how to set up an attack, and far ton often kicked and placed into llic hands of the opposing backs. Scotland could not make good this weakness, though they led at half time l*v a goal to a try. Indeed, it was always odds on Ireland winning. In the second half tliev scored two more tries, arid, both being converted, they were successful by thirteen points to five.