THE ALL BLACKS AT TWICKENHAM

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 239, 3 July 1919, Page 5

THE ALL BLACKS AT TWICKENHAM

MATCH FOR THE KING'S CUP

NEW ZEALAND V. FRANCE

(By F. J. Sellicks, in the "Daily Mail.") New Zealand 20yfcs. French Army 3. Nearly 20,000 people made their way to Twickenham on Saturday, April 19, for the winding-up of the London Rugby seasou, It was a great day for tho Now Zealand side, who received tho cup which they had so gallantly won in tho IntorServices Competition from the hands of the King.

His Majesty brought his four sons with him, and all were deeply in teres tod in the surprisingly good game put fp by th« French representatives. S'ergoaut-'Jlujor Ryan, the New Zealand captain v. as a happy man as he took the cup trom the King's hands, and he had every right to be. The trophy could have no moro fitting abiding place than the Dominion which has sent 60 many brave soldiers to tho Imperial cause, and her football players, like her fighting men, are unsurpassed. The French side received an onthiuiaatic welcome when they took the field, and they, too, will long cherish the memory of their first great Rugby game sinco Iho war. It is no flattery to say that they gave a very much better display of football than had been anticipated, and it is quite clear that the amount of Rugby played in France since the armistico has been of great benefit to them. They showed far more idea of combined attack than ever before, and they payed a keen, hard forward game, with great spirit. That they were worn duwn and outplayed in the last twenty minutes vive no discredit to them. .The same thing has happened to sides of far greater experience within the last week or two. If they continue to progress at fie same rate it will not be long before they will have to bo reckoned As serious competitors in the international tournament.

Frenchmen's Good Kicking. Tho Frenchmen had the wind behind them in the first half, and play had not been in progress many minutes before they showed- that they knew how to kick, and, indeed, all through the match they shone in this particular department, t'Ho captain, Struxiano, at half and the two centres being especially clever. Very early in tho game the /ll Mucks looked like scoring, but they threw tliv try away, and France took up the running. A centre-three-quarter broke through] in fine style, and 6mart passing pined quito a lot of ground. The Ne» /ealanders made their way back and compelled France to save, but from tho drop-out tho visitors came down the ground in great style and established themselves in the New Zealand twentyfive. Here they remained for sonic minutes, resisting all attempts to drive them back,_ and eventually a clever move, ment sent in Bieu with a really fine try, which brought down the "house." This was a quarter of an hour from the start., and it was nearly twenty minutes btforo the All Blacks could equalise. Tho French ;full-back was kept busy, and he was quite equal to the situation, clearing time after time in first-class stylo. Ford tried to- drop a goal, and had bad luck in not succeeding, the ball hittiuj the cross-bar and rebounding into play. Eventually Singe, the irreprcssiblo wing-forward, who had been quite outplayed by Struxiano in the earlier stages, obtained one of his characteristic tries in a forward melee near the line, Stohr missing an easy place-kick. Tlie team, therefore, changed ends on equal terms, and the Frenchmen were heart ; ly applauded for their spirited display.

French Full-back's Brilliance, The first incident after half-time was a brilliant piece of play by tho French back Mazarico, who made a clever mark under difficulties, and put in a great kick. Tho All Blacks attacked strongly, but the French forwards were not done ■with yet. and more than once they cleared their lines with irrcsistiblo rushes. They were helped considerably by tho many mistakes of the New Zealand backs in handling tho ball, and tho fast French pack allowed them little time to recover. Moreover, forwards and backs alike tackled desperately, if not always in the orthodox manner, and summarily checked moro than one promising movement, while others earns to an end through the inability of tho colonial backs to do tho right'thing. Very soon tho latter changed their tactics and left matters to their forwards, who, naturally in better training than the French side, stayed on and scored, three tries in succession. Hazel got the first, though there was considerable doubt as to whether tho ball had over been in tho scrummage, and himself failed with the kick. The pressure was maintained, and Storey, on the left wing, had a couple of chances, but. could not get through. O'Brien, with well-judged punts, kopt his men in Frencli quarters, and eventually AVest get over rather easily from a line-out, Hazcll's kick again failing. Kissick was the next to score, and then Brown hustled his way across, but no goal was kicked. The French forwards hart played themselves out by this time, but the outside? stuck well 'to their work, MazariiS i repeatedly saving and cleariug in brilliant fashion. As a team, however, .they did not know how to cope with tho forward attack of the colonials, whose whirlwind rushes near the line always spell dangor. Before the end Ford ran in and at last a goal was kicked, Eyan proving successful. Tho New Zealandors thus won by a goal and five tries to a ti'y._ The losers deserve every credit for their plucky offorts. They have still, of course, something to learn, but their fullback, Ma'zarus, and their captain and scrum half, Stuxiand, aro good enough for any oompany. The former quickly became a popular favourite, and tho latter created a great impression by the way in which he outplayed Singe for quite a long time. The forwards were fast and dashing, Pons and Thierry being often pramimenc; they wero clover in the loose, and in the first half seemed able to get the ball almost as they liked. They have still to. master tho tactics of the fine-out.

The New Zealanders won fairly easily at the finish, and probably that was all they wanted. O'Drien was as> reliable as ever, and the forwards tame into their own in the second half. They may have met with more resistance than they expected, but it is easy to believe that most of them were thinking of a certain match in Wales to-day, and were not keen on over-exciting themselves.

The Teams Dine. In the evening the teams dined together in London, and representatives of the other sides that had taken part in tile Inter-Services competition were present. Major-General Sir Charles Hanngton, K.C.13., D.5.0., tho president of the Army Sports Control Hoard, mado an admirablo chairman, and his epoech in proposing tho health of the French Kugby team was a model of what such speeches should be. He paid a stirring tribute to our gallant Allies, and eulogised tho value of sport in and out of the Army. Ho was able lo say that tho King and his four sons had greatly enjoyed their visit to Twickenham, and much admired the spirited play of both sides, Excellent speeches were made by Lieut.-G'olonel L. G. Brown, captain of the Army sido; Major Cameron, of New Zealand; Lieut. Kodocahachi, representing the French team; Major Rainsford Hannay, D.5.0., and .Major B. C. Hartley, secretary of tho Army Sports Control Hoard, who took tho opportunity to sound a warninsr note. Standing as he does for sport in tho Army, and b"ing its responsible organiser, ho has nevertheless a duo sense of proportion, and he stnK'l most emphatically that sport must not be overdone if tho country is lo hold it l : own in the. future. It was a splendid thing, but it was a means to an end, ond not an end in itself.