RUGBY

Southland Times, Issue 19173, 18 February 1924, Page 9

RUGBY

THE OTERNATIONALS, ENGLAND AGAIN LEADING. (Specially Written for the Southland Times). Tn the 1923-24 senes of international Rugby contests, up to February 9. England, who won all her matches last year and the championship, is so far unbeaten. With France and Scotland to meet yet, it appears likely that the Mother Country will retain the champinnship, which she wrested from Wales last year. The record of the matches played to date w as follows:—France beat Scotland. 14-10; England beat Wales, 17-9, and Ireland, 14-3; Ireland beat France, 6-0; Scotland beat Wales, 35-10. The championship table reads;—

The most outstanding feature of the season is the heavy defeats suffered by Wales, laist season, when England defeated Wales by 7 to 3 at Twickenham, there were 41,500 persons present—a record for the ground. Prior to the 1909-10 season, England had not won the championship for eighteen years, but subsequently she won it four times, and tied twice. Scotland’s *iefeat at the hands of France is the third jhe has suffered at the handa of the French •since they came into the internationals, in 1909-10. Until the 1919-20 season, Ireland had consistently defeated France, but France has won three of the five matches played since. Franca has never zet defeated Wales; it will be interesting, in view of the Welsh reversals, to see how the Frenchmen fare against them when they meet later in the season. England has yet te meet Scotland, whom she has defeated in all games since 1912-13, and France, whom she has defeated 12 times, the remaining match being drawn, in the 1921-22 season, when the scores were 11 all. Scotland has

to meet Ireland, whom she has beaten m the last two seasons, and Wales has to meet Ireland, who defeated her last year for the first time since 1912-13. The cablet! report of the match between England and Ireland, played on February 9, was the only one which mentioned individual players. Corbett, who scored an unconverted try in the first half for England, got his international cap in 1921 against France, and played against Ireland and Wales last season. He is a Bristol man, a clever kick and a brilliant threequarter. Wicks, who scored for England in the second spell, has not played in an international before the present season, but Conway, of Cambridge, who converted a try, has played for England every season since 1920. He is 26 years of age, a clever forward, who always keeps himself in the best condition. The cable agent does not tell us who scored two other tries for England in the second half. One wonders at the brevity of the reports of these international. which are of absorbing interest to New Zealanders, in view' of the approach, ing visit to England of the All Blacks. Douglas, who scored Ireland’s only try, got his "cap” last year when he played in one international, against France. Crawford, however, who failed to convert, is one of the beat-known players in the whole of the series of internationals. He has represented Ireland 14 times since 1919.

P. W. L. Pointe Pointe For. Agst. England _ . _ 2 2 — 31 12 Scotland . . 2 1 1 45 24 France ., ■ ms 2 1 1 14 16 Ire-land .. « 2 1 1 9 14 Wales .. r 2 0 2 19 52