ARMY FOOTBALL IN EGYPT

Camp News (Northern Command), Volume 1, Issue 3, 17 May 1940, Page 6

ARMY FOOTBALL IN EGYPT

l ' * Wellington Battalion’s Success CHAMPION WELSH TEAM BEATEN (N.Z.E.F. Official News Service.) . CAIRO, April 7. The Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force enhanced yesterday the reputation which it has gained in the Rugby football world in Egypt. In an exciting and closely-contested match the Wellington Battalion team, winners of the divisional championship competition,. defeated a Welsh regimental side which holds the Army Cup. The score, 11-9, is an indication of the even match of the two teams. The Wellington fifteen did not assume the

lead till the last quarter, ami though it then began to show superiority, the stubborn defence of rhe Welsh players kept the margin of their defeat down to a slender two points. Played on a city ground, the match attracted a large crowd, composed mainly of soldiers, who kept up continuous barracking as they followed the fortunes

of the teams they supported. Spirited hakas exhorted the New Zealanders to prove their worth; Welsh supporters hung leeks on the goal posts and a New Zealander answered by placing a military hat on each of the posts at : 1 the end of the field. Profits from the match are to be devoted to the funds of the British Red Cross Society.The teams were: Wellington Battalion: Vernon; Hunter, Cochrane, R. Arnold; Griffiths (captain), L. Arnold; Littler: Fleming, • Robertson, Aitken, Coull. Phillips, Crawford, Hart, Riley. Welsh XV: Winter; Davies,- Mackie, Delaney; Williams, Ibbitson ; Chapman; Pennel, Owen, Duckfield, Dyer. Edwards, Cowell, Jones, Peters. i Referee: Wing-Commander G. R. Beamish. The /opening phase of the game saw , the Welsh team repeatedly winning the ; ball from the set scrums, but the close j marking of the New Zealand backs prevented much use being made of this i advantage. Play swung rapidly from 1 one end of the field to the other til! i the Welchmen opened, the scoring with i a penalty goal by Owen. Welsh XV 3. Wellington 0. t The Wellington forwards hammered 1 determinedly at the Wtalsh line. Fleming, Coull and Phillips broke away after i a line-out and at the end of a bright A passing rush Phillips scored. Griffiths H failed to convert. Welsh XV 3, Welling- I; ton 3. ,j W’ith the scores thus evened the 9 match developed into a thrilling struggle for supremacy. Both teams altern- t; ately swept to the attack and stolidly h defended their goal lines. The issue A’ was decided for the time being when t:

Owen kicked another penalty goal for the Welsh team. Welsh XV 6. Wellington 3. A brilliant try soon after the resumption of play brought the score level \ d ‘? ing saw his opportunity "lien a Welsh back fumbled the ball S'ihk,, 00 ? tlle Heltl by sur P ri «e when >c dribbled across the goal line to score. .. J.! 0 !’ tui e d to convert. Welsh -XV o, Wellington 6. to lt was now the Welsh team’s turn o score and once again it was Owen, uth jet another penalty goal, who put In- Warn ahead. Welsh XV 9. WeliingwHieftT’T dlUn a ( l uartei ' Of an hour I t tl2 ‘ atl 11 Was at this late sta «o vim- tUnied iu favour of the the ball r °)\ P ayers ' The forwards took he Wei S X tOes aud Penetrated me Welsh territory, where R Arnb’u corner ’xS/” aild seored “ear the Zealand StesS • Xew their hats in tile "i??'”'* tnrew lop the W'ellington ' te'an" Welslnnen defending tin the ft the