RUGBY AT HOME

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 143, 13 March 1939, Page 7

RUGBY AT HOME

Wales Upsets Ireland’s Hopes TRIPLE TIE LIKELY (By Quiununc.) The defeat of the hitherto unbeaten Ireland team on Saturday by Wales in .be international Rugby championship for • .338-39 season at Home has raised the lA'.'ioility of a triple tie. " it.i victor.es over England and ScotIreland appeared to have excellent . . j.-i>eets of repeating the success of .j, requiring either to defeat or ...iv with Wales. Having tjie advau•igc of playing on a home ground (Bel.i.'i). Ireland's prospects were rated high, ..uf the Welshmen rose to great height.'-, ..nd Sam Walker's men had to bow to defeat. Ireland and Wales are now level with two wins and a loss each. The fate of the ehampionship rests on the result of the linal game of the series between England and Scotland in Edinburgh on March 18. ■ England has a win and a Joss to its credit, and success in this match would create a triple tie. The results to date are:—England beat Wales, 3-0; Wales beat Scotland, 11-3; Wales beat Ireland. 7-0; Ireland beat England. 5-0: Ireland beat Scotland, 12-3. A significant feature of the results has been the low scoring. In five games the winning teams have totalled 44 points and the losing teams 37 points, the average being 9-7 a game. As ih e results have shown, I here has been little between Ireland, Wales and England. Scotland, last season’s champions, though fielding much the same team, have failed to play up to expectations.. Thin .has beeeu attributed to the unaccountable absence of the traditional lire among the forwards, and the poor form ol Shaw, one of the greatest of modern fly-halves, who was the inspiration of the hacks la.it season. 111-health on the eve of both big games this season robbed him of the penetrative ability that contributed largely to Scotland’s winning sequence last year. Following are the positions of the teams:—

Since the international .series was commenced in 1883-84, England and Scotland have won the championship outright on 12 occasions. Wales on 10 and Ireland twice. England, Ireland and Scotland have figured in five ties, and Wales in three. France entered the championship in 1909-10, but has not competed since 1930-31.

W. L. Points. For Ag. Tl. " alas .... .. 2 1 18 6 Ireland .. 2 1 17 10 4 England ... .. 1 J 2 .Scotland .. 0 2 6 23. 0