N.Z.E.F. RUGBY

Camp News, Volume 1, Issue 26, 7 June 1940, Page 3

N.Z.E.F. RUGBY

the crowd to its feet but Gant brought his clever run to an end.

L. Arnold cut out several men before he was hauled down on the line. Parsons secured from the set scrum that followed, passed on to Wales, who again went through for a good try.

FINE FORM IN EGYPT BEST TOURNEY EVER Of the interest taken in the Rugby tournament for the troops in Egypt and of the high standard of performance given by the N.Z.E.F. representatives there is further news in communications received recently from Egypt. In one of his letters Lieuten-ant-Colonel T. J. King, who has served on the Wellington and New Zealand Rugby Unions, said of one particular performance that he had never seen a New Zealand team play so well to instructions as the N.Z.E.F. team had done in that match. They played as a team and played really wonderful football. He and others, in their letters, make special mention of the outstanding form shown by J. L. Griffiths, and that player himself states that he has never felt fitter and better for football.

The powerful New Zealand threes were not to be denied and Morrison weaved his way through the defence to score a really brilliant try, which he converted . . . Morrison again electrified the crowd by taking the ball on the touch line, cutting in and dropping a beautiful goal from some 40 yards out.

Wales and Coull were a constant source of trouble to Gant with the speed with which they followed up the ball.

Eventually the brilliance of Griffiths, the All Black five-eights, was in evidence when he followed up one of his positional kicks, with a speed that was uncanny, to secure the ball again and fool the defence to go over for an excellent try, which Rollinson improved on to give the Kiwis a handsome lead.

Of the fine impression made by the New Zealand team there is much evidence in the newspaper reports of the matches. The following extracts are taken from a report in the “Egyptian Mail” of the match in which the New Zealand team had a handsome win over the British Army-Air Force side at the Arsenal Ground The New Zealand forwards were the high light of the match—strong, husky men who were irresistible — and they played the winning tune of the day. Though they played hard, they played clean, and their team work ’was simply grandaltogether an example of the British Empire’s manhood at its best.

After tea at the Gezira Sporting Club, the teams and officials went on to a cocktail party given by Mrs. Freyberg, wife of the Divisional Commander, where the draw for the autographed match ball took place . . .

Griffiths and Wynyard . had the crowd on their feet again with a great movement and Wynyard actually crossed the line, but he was recalled for a forward pass.

Shortly before the start an amusing incident took place when a New Zealand soldier dashed on to the ground to recover a chair that had been left behind by the band. - The struggle which ensued for the comfortable seat between many of his colleagues brought forth roars of laughter from the crowd (about 5000).

Immediately upon completion of the draw, Lieutenant-Colonel T. J. King (N.Z.E.F.) thanked the sponsors of the tournament on behalf of the N.Z.E.F., and then asked Mrs. Freyberg to present the other ball, used earlier on, which had been autographed by all the players to Lance-Cor-poral Griffiths, the New Zealand captain; “as a souvenir of the best Rugger tournament ever organised in Egypt.” •

At a later stage Griffiths staged one of the many moves that have made him famous in the All Blacks. He secured from a loose maul and went zig-zagging through the . British defence in amazing style that brought

After a period of rushing tactics, L. Arnold cut through and sent on to Griffiths, who in turn passed on to Morrison. The All Black winger, although tackled on the line, managed to get the ball away to Wales, who had followed up in the usual Dominion style, and he threw himself over for the first try.