ARMY FOOTBALL IN EGYPT

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 192, 10 May 1940, Page 7

ARMY FOOTBALL IN EGYPT

Wellington Battalion’s Success CHAMPION WELSH TEAM BEATEN (N'.Z.E.F, Ollicial News Service.) CAIRO, April 7. V'.'Jw (Secund New Zealand Expeditionary Force enhanced yesterday the reputatioi. which it lias gained in the Itughy football world hi Egypt. In an exciting and closely-contested match the Wellington Battalion team, winners of the divisional championship compel!-' lion, defeated a Welsh regimental side which holds the Army Cup. The score, 11-9, is an indication of tlie even match of the two teams. The Wellington lifteen did not assume the lead till the last quarter, and though it then began.to show superiority, Hie stubborn defence of the 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 tr New Zealander answered by placing a 'military hat on.each of the posts at 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; Huu £ ter, 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; Fennel, Owen, Duckiield, Dyer, Edwards, Cowell, Jones, Peters. Referee: Wing-Commander 0. R. Beamish.

The opening phase of the game saw the Welsh team repeatedly winning the ball from tho set scrums, ’but the close marking of the New Zealand backs prevented much use being made of this advantage. Play swung rapidly from one end of the field to the other till the Welshmen opened the scoring with a penalty goal by Owen. Welsh XV 3, Wellington 0. The 'Wellington forwards hammered determinedly at the Welsh line. Fleming, Coull and Phillips broke away after a line-out and at the end of a bright passing rush Phillips scored. Griffiths failed to convert. Welsh XV 3, Wellington 3.

With tlie scores thus evened the match developed into a thrilling struggle for supremacy. Both teams alternately swept to the attack and stolidly defended their goal lines. The issue was decided for the time being when Owen kicked another penalty goal for tlie Welsh team. Welsh XV G, Wellington 3.

A brilliant try soon after the resumption of play brought (he score level again. Fleming saw life opportunity when a Welsh back fumbled the ball and lie took the field by surprise when he dribbled across the goal line to score. Littler failed to convert, Welsh 'XV G, Wellington G. It was now the Welsh team's turn to score, and once again it was Owen, with yet another penalty goal, who put bis team ahead. Welsh XV 9, Wellington G.

Little more than a quarter of an hour was left and it was at this late stage that the tide turned in favour of the Wellington players. The forwards took the ball at their toes and penetrated the Welsh territory, where It. Arnold gained possession and scored near the corner. Littler converted and New Zealand soldiers on the sideline threw I heir hats in the air. Now clearly on top, the Wellington team kept the Welshmen defending till the end of the match.

INTER-UNIT MATCHES

Championship Won By Wellington Team (N.Z.E.F. Official News Service.) CAIRO, April 2. Its succession of victories unbroken at the end of the eighth and final match, the Wellington Battalion’s Rugby football fifteen has won the New Zealand Division iuler-uiiit championship competition and 'become the first holder of the Clip presented by the Divisi on al Comma n d er. Last week Wellington met and staved off the challenges of its two strongest competitors, the Auckland Battalion and the Machine-Gun Battalion. The former team went close to halting the progress of the Wellington fifteen, losing narrowly by two points. The other match, played on Saturday, was the decisive one, for the Machine-Gun Battalion had previously suffered only one reverse. Wellington was victorious again, however, winning by 11 points to nil. Wellington’s success was another feather in the cap of the team’s captain, J. L. Griffiths, former All Black, for it. was he who led the New Zealand representatives to victory against a Combined Services team at Easter.

Last Saturday’s “cup final” was played in abnormal heat on one of the desert grounds in the New Zealand camp area. There was every expectation that the game would be one of the closest of the series, and so it seemed for the first half, which ended without score. In the second half Wellington took advantage of greater possession of the ball, and the backs were sent away on attacking moves which the machine-gunners were unable to check. Tries were scored by Cochrane ami R. Arnold in quick succession, and another by Phillips, Griffiths converting. The machine-gunners’ team had undergone alterations which robbed it of some of its strength and dash. Earlier in the season its back line had been made up almost, entirely of former South Canterbury representatives— Parsons at. half-back, Blythe at first live-eighths, Gaffaney at centre, Morrison on the wing', and Beilinson at fullback. On Saturday, however, Parsons and Gaffaney were the only available members of this quintet. The cup was presented after the match to the Wellington captain. Gritlit bs, by Mrs. Frey berg. wife of the Divisional Commander, who also presented medals to members of the team. Results of the sixth and seventh rounds of the cup series are as follows :—

Sixth round: Machine-Gun Battalion 21, Divisional, and Brigade H.Q. 0; Wellington Battalion 9. A.S.C. 3; Auckland Battalion I t, Cavalry and'Ambulance Canterbury Battalion 1-1. Signals and Engineers 3; Field Regiment 0, R.M.T. Company 0., Seventh round : Machine-Gun Battalion 8, Canterbury Battalion 5; Field Regiment 3, Cavalry and Ambulance 0; Wellington Ballalion 5, Auckland Battalion 3: R.M.T. Company 11, Divisional and Brigade H.Q. 3; A.S.C. beat Signals and Engineers by default.