RUGBY AT HOME

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20669, 6 March 1937, Page 16 (Supplement)

RUGBY AT HOME

ENGLAND DEFEATS WALES

“Too Much Obstruction” Wales lost by a single point to England in the annual international Rugby match, played this year at Twickenham, England won by a dropped goal (4) to an unconverted try (3). Both were scored in the first half. It was not, according to the critics, a great game, and while some regarded it as a thrillingly exciting one, open and honest, others were scathing in their comments. Trevor Wignall (Daily Express) dubbed it “gutter” Rugby, and claimed that its main features were spoiling, obstruction, and flagrant disregard of the regulations and referee. His view was, to some extent, supported by Howard Marshall (Daily Telegraph). Many of the players against whom the All Blacks played a year ago were on the field. One was H. S. Sever (England), and another, W. Wooler (Wales), who were responsible for the only scoring of the afternoon. H. G. Owen-Smith captained England and played at full-back, «nd others in the English team known to New Zealanders included P. Cranmer, P. L. Candler, and W. H. Weston. Claud Davey was the Welsh captain, and his side included V. G. J. Jenkins, Idwall Rees. H. Tanner and A. M. Rees. England’s Pack on Top England’s forwards in whom the All Blacks found a match last year, were the dominating pack, and gained possession repeatedly. Back play was lacking on both sides, and it was rarely that the ball reached the wings in an attacking movement. England opened the scoring. During a forward rush to the Welsh goal, play became a little too enthusiastic, and Wales was awarded a penalty in front of the posts. It was an awkward place for a kick, and Jenkins, usually so safe, missed touch by 10 yards. Sever, fielding near the twentyfive line, steadied himself and dropped a left-footed goal which was “over the bar” from the instant that his boot met the ball. England was thus four

points ahead in a minute or two less than half an hour, and had done twothirds of the attacking. Unless the Welsh pack could “do something about it” in the matter of letting their backs have the ball, England looked set for a win. Wooller’s Great Try

Five minutes before half-time Wales suffered the temporary loss of Tanner, but he came back almost at once and Wales attacked, W. T. H. Davies running cleverly in midfield. The passing of the rest of his side, however, had little swing, and was sometimes directed inwards when the outward development of the attack held greatei promise. Then on the stroke of half-time, came a really good try for Wales. Tanner started the movement with a burst of such strength that he wriggled clear of a

“smother” tackle before passing out to the left. The ball reached Clement who, as he was tackled by Butler, gave the neatest of in-passes to Woolier. and the centre was over like a flash. Jenkins could not convert. The second half was full of incident, but there was no further score.

"Within the limits imposed by modern theories the game doubtless had

its merits. It consisted, in the main, of spoiling and kicking, good enough of its kind, with some grand tackling to reassure those of whose views are inclined to be old-fashioned,” wrote Howard Marshall. “Virility was there in plenty, and ability, but—l ask this in all humility—where were the true ingredients of Rugby football? Look at it in this way. Potentially great attacking players like Woolier, Davies. Kemp. Cranmer and the wing-three-quarters had no chances whatever. There was only one constructive movement the whole afternoon, and that was when Tanner slipped away from a loose maul and Wales scored their try. Defence Cancels Attack “Otherwise defence cancelled out attack completely. Why was this? To begin with, the Welsh forwards were beaten in the tight scrummages and the loose mauls. When they did manage to heel, the ball came back so clumsily and slowly that England could destroy the Welsh attack at leisure. The mighty Woolier, with his tremendous stride, Davey, whose sudden thrusts we had every reason to fear, the smooth-running Davies—all of them were lost in the confusion which follows slipshod scrummaging. There is the first indictment of the modem neglect of fundamental principles. “Do you consider that purely destructive roving is in the best interests of the game? If so, I can only answer that the game is not Rugby football, but a greatly inferior development of it. There you have it, at any rate—a mixture of poor scrummaging, defensive winging, and in general an aimless welter, a witless wrangling, if I may purloin Mr Linklater’s admirably descriptive phrase. Perhaps it satisfies you and I will not deny that the players did their best to put some spirit Into it. Old fogeys like myself, however, hanker for the more spacious days when forwards and backs worked to a plan, and thought more of building up their own attack than frustrating attacking moves by their opponents. And it is only because I feel we are in danger of losing so much of the essential grandeur of Rugby football that I persist in this •apparently querulous criticism.” England has now won 25 of the 49 games played with Wales. Six have been drawn and Wales has won 18.