GREAT CONTEST

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 46, 24 February 1930, Page 16

GREAT CONTEST

EUGBY INTERNATIONAL ENGLAND BEATS FRANCE Onltcd Press Association— By Electric Tele- , sraph—Copyright. LONDON, 22nd February. In tliG Rugby international played at Twickenham, England defeated Franco by 11 points to 5. France had already defeated Scotland and Ireland, and was very keen on winning the championship. Twenty-tivo barrels of red wine were brought over for the use of tho players. The teams wore as follow:— England (two names missing)— Askew, Reeve, Novos, Jacob, Kobson, Sobey, Spong, Bow, Tucker, Bateson, Black, Forrest, and Periton. France—Ambert, Bigot, Cody, Gamel, Majerus, Bioussa', Galba, Riberc, Serin, Magnanou, Samatau (the soldier for whom M. Tardieu asked special leave), Baillette, Gerald, Houdet, and Piquenal. "Magnifique!" shouted a Frenchman as Eobson destroyed France's hopes of Rugby Union "parity" by scoring a marvellous try. The attendance was over 50,000, and included Prince George and the French Ambassador, and many delegates to the Naval Conference. ' v The wind was light and tho weather perfect. The short passing of the French forwards was delightful. Their supporters went wild at the end of a quarter of an hour when Serin scored a fine try, which Ambert, converted. The French repeatedly pressed on attack, in which Samatan, a slimmish youth with a shock of red hair, shone out, working in combination , with Serin,, who also is red-headed and is wonderful at throwing the ball. Stobey and Spong put up a great defence. After twenty-eight minutes' play Reeve scored and Black failed to convert. Just before the interval Robson, who won the inter-varsity match' for Oxford," made a wonderful run from halfway, eluding half-a-dozen Frenchmen, including Piquenal, who is a great fullback, and scored a try which Black did not convert. The latter also failed with the three penalty shots at goal. The fivst spell ended: England 6 France 5 England waa consistently better in the scrum iv the second half, getting the ball nearly every time. The French showed brilliant flashes and great speed, especially Gerald and Baillette. Robson. almost scored again, being brought down right on tho line. Periton scored the final try, Black converting. The crowd carried off the scrumhalf, Spong, who played the game of his life. Kibere, the French captain, said: "It was one of the hardest games I have ever played. It was magnificent. We failed to win, but winning is not everything. The English are a splendid team." Sam Tucker, who played his twentyfifth international match, captaining England for the first time, described it as a great and hard game from beginning to end. There were many hard knocks and minor injuries, but it was played in fine sporting spirit. A telegram of good wishes was received from the new French Premier, :M. Chautfiihps, who was formerly the centre-three-quarter of the Racing Club de France team, in response to a message of congratulation from the French team to "the first Rugby man to be Premier of France." England's Rugby Union victory over Erance* may be- described as a triumph of beer over bordeaux, for each ofth'e French team brought to London a littlecask of that wine gaily painted red, white, and blue, with a Gallic cock at one end. ____