ARMY RUGBY

Timaru Herald, Volume CL, Issue 22156, 27 December 1941, Page 6

ARMY RUGBY

New Zealanders’ Good Win Combined Services Defeated /From the Official War correspondent with the N.Z.E.F.) CAIRO. December 23. The speed, thrust and resolution of the New Zealand back line led to a feast of brilliant try-getting when a Rugby team from the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force overwhelmed a Combined Services side from the Alexandria area at Alexandria on Sunday. The New Zealanders won by 34 points to five—seven tries, five of which were converted, and a penalty goal—to one converted try. Before the match Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham and MajorGeneral Freyberg shook hands with the teams. The rival barrackers cheered wildly as the ball was kicked off by Combined Services. It landed in the arms of Finlay, one of the most constructive forwards New Zealand has produced for a long time. He flung the ball far across the field to Welch, the New Zealand first five-eighth, who set the New Zealand backs going in a dazzling opening attack which collapsed when McAneny was thrown into touch. The first points came to New Zealand when Combined Services were penalised and Perriam landed a good goal from wide out. New Zealand 3, Combined Services nil. It was a shock to the New Zealanders to see the All Black hooker, Lamboume, beaten for the ball in the early set scrums, but it made little difference to the Services back line who, unhappily for them, committed a dreadful chain of errors. Their handling was so uncertain and their general play so unreliable in the early stages that the New Zealand backs, swift and adept, swooped down bustling and stealing the ball from them. These bustling tactics by backs and forwards alike soon caused a collapse in the gallant defence.

It was not long before the New Zealanders scored their first try, when Wells, a slightly bald but vigorous frontrow man. crashed through from a melee five yards from the line, Perriam converting. New Zealand 8, Services nil. With Lamboume being beaten for the ball, the New Zealand pack came under suspicion of lack of weight at the critical moment, but the New Zealand backs made amends, and at this stage took complete command with a procession of brilliant attacks from rucks and linecuts. Parsons Brilliant It was at this stage that Parsons (South Canterbury), the New Zealand half, reached brilliant heights which would have won him a place in an All Black team. His swift accurate passes sent the backs away in a series of thrusts which brought continuous roars of delight from the crowd. Then New Zealand started to win the ball from the set scrums. For Combined Services that spelled the word defeat. Before half-time New Zealand had 19 points on the board. In spite of several praiseworthy sorties, Combined Services had failed to score. Now the New Zealanders were throwing the ball about with unerring apcuracy, backs and forwards collaborating in devastating thrusts. Again came a brilliant New Zealand try from the loose, Finlay, the New Zealand captain, side-stepping, swerving and weaving his way through the scattered defence. The rest was easy. Finlay shot the ball to Pye who passed to Wells, the latter scoring by the posts. Perriam missed a comparatively easy kick. Stung by this series of reverses Services now started to display some real devil. Ross, Wallace and Sharpe leading solid forward attacks. Services swept to the New Zealand line. A dazling burst of speed by Bowen, the Services centre, found a gap in the New Zealand defences and a try for Services seemed likely, but Bowen had not the support which was urgently needed, and the move that should have won success collapsed. Back to the attack swept the New Zealanders and a perfectly orthodox movement brought about their next try. Parsons sent the backs away, and the ba ' travel’ed along the line with unerring accuracy until it reached McAneny, whose pace was too much for both the opposite wing and the Service fullback. Perriam’s kick missed.

Once again the services forwards made a telling thrust, but -esolute tackling stopped a dangerous move Before half-time New Zealand taking advantage of the high wind, swarmed to another devastating attack. From a dummy that bewildered the defenders, Welch went over and converted his own try. Half-time came with the scores:— New Zealand 19, Combined Services 0. Exciting Struggle Passes were flung from the backs to the forwards and back ■’“■ain when the second spell opened, and it was only magnificent tackling by the Services' backs that stopped a complete rout. In a flash Services had turned the tables. Away went the forwards in a loose rush, and they drove the New Zealanders back to the defensive role. From the loose Rayment shot the ball to the next back, English. A clever short punt saw the Services captain, Wallace, collect the ball and go over for a try that won the applause from the crowd which it deserved. Fiske converted with a great kick. New Zealand 19, Combined Services 5. Combined Services spent an intensiva period on attack. Their forwards displayed enterprise, with Gardiner and Mahoney’ leading dangerous attacks. Lack of cohesion among the pack and complete lack of method among the backs lost them a chance of scoring. Then real misfortune overtook them. Their captain, Wallace, who was also their best forward, went off with a splintered collarbone. A minute later Morgan had an elbow damaged. With the two mainstays of the Services team out of action, the New Zealanders scored two tries in quick succession. Parsons, who was still doing brilliant work, darted round the blind side to send the ball to Finlay, but the latter was not supported and a certain try went begging. ■ It was nearing the end when the New Zealand backs went away again and again. When the ball reached McHugh, he made a burst which took him over for Perriam to convert. A movement which was almost identical ended i- McAneny on the other wing racing down the touchline to carry on and score under the posts. Perriam converted. One last desperate effort was made by the Services side, but it failed. One more telling drive by the New Zealand backs saw McHugh go over again and Perriam converted. The final score was;—

New Zealand 34. Combined Services 5. One of the features of the match was the duel between the two rival scrum halfbacks, Rayment and Parsons. The Combined Services half played a grand game under difficulties. He made a gallant effort to feed his backs from all sorts of impossible positions

The teams were:—New Zealand: J. Fleming. A. McAneny, R. MacKoney, W. McHugh, W. Perriam. K. Welch, Captain D. Parsons, Hegglan, A. Lambourne, J. Wells. Second-Lieutenant Finlay, G. Cleverly, J. J. Best, A. Mahoney, L. R. Pye. Combined Services:—Lieutenant Buckley (R.N.), Hamlin (R.A.F.), Bowen (R.A.F.), Morgan (R.N.), Olsen (R.A..F.), Lieutenant Wallace (R.N.), Mahoney (R.A.F.), Lieutenant Ross (R.N.), Sharpe (R.N.), Musson (R.N.), English (R.A.F.), Rayment (Army), Second-Lieutenant Fiske (Army), Gardiner (R.A.F.), Lieutenant Lindsay (Army). The referee was Captain De Villiers, of the Union' Defence Forces.