INTERNATIONAL RUGBY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18347, 13 March 1923, Page 9

INTERNATIONAL RUGBY.

i ENGLAND DEFEATS WALES. SCOTLAND BEATS FRANCE. The latest English mail to hand affords interesting particulars concerning the international Rugby Union football matches. The standard of Rugby in England is at present high, and specially keen interest was taken in the first meeting of the seaton between the representative teams of England and Wales, who fought out a great battle of forwards at the famous Twickenham ground, Lorilon. Over 30,000 spectators, including a considerable proportion of Welshmen who travelled from Wales, assembled to see England win a keenly-contested match, full of sensational thrills, by seven points to three. There have been many greater game, but there never has been one more strenuously fought. In the matter of skilful attack and combination both teams were somewhat below standard, but the forwards gave a great display in the tight and loose play. In the end the English pack triumphed. The first thrill came from the kick-off, when H. L. Price (England), following fast, caught the ball as it descended, ana dropped at goal. The ball hung in the air and, falling, bounced for Price to again secure and dash over to draw first blood for England. Conway missed an easy kick at goal. The famous heavy Welsh pack were hooking the ball in the scrums, but the backs were slow and feeble in attack. It was, however, a clever swerve and cork-screw run by Johnson (Wales)which gave Michael the chance of scoring a try for Wales in the corner. The try was not converted. The winning points were put on in a sensational "manner within 15 minutes of time. The English scrum half securing the ball, gave Smallwood, English threequarter, a. lightning pass between his legs, that player dropping a goal from 40yds. out. ■ It was a long low-range kick, and as the ball sailed over the cross-bar there was an outburst of cheering such as is seldom heard on any English Rugby field. The English side fully deserved th«r victory, which a little luck would have made decisive. The forwards were distinctly superior to the Welsh pack, who, though heavier, and hooking the ball, were slower in heeling, and the backs lacked the pace of the English combination. The first international Rugby match of Scotland was against France, decided at Inverleith, where the famous " All Black" team defeated Scotland in 1905. Except in pace and tackling Scotland outplayed France, and with two goals and two tries to a goal from a mark, more than atoned for their shortcomings in the correspondingmatch two years ago. Scotland showed merit in all that they did, but the French were without cohesion or semblance of combination. . As an attacking force the French backs were negligible. Sound as their defence was, they- could not stop Scot' l's attack. The French forwards were great in the loose, but- the backs, vyiiile possessed of rare pace, lacked initiative. Fully 25,000 spectators witnessed the game. The match between England and Scotland, which will be the deciding contest in the international championship, is set down for Saturday, March 17, at Inverleith. A groat struggle is anticipated. New Zealand will be specially interested in the conetst as furnishing a standard of Rugby when the next New Zealand team visits Great Britain in the season of 1925.