SPORT IN BRITAIN

Evening Star, Issue 20136, 28 March 1929, Page 14

SPORT IN BRITAIN

[From Our English Correspondent.] LONDON, February 13. RUGBY INTERNATIONAL. The Irish Hugh’’ team made history at Twickenham an Saturday, and laid the ‘ bogey ” of England’s supremacy on that ground. The victory of Ireland was only a narrow one—two tries (6 points) to a goal (5 points)—but the margin might easily have been much bigger but for the truly wonderful manlier the home defenders just saved the situation on four occasions, when a score seemed certain. No sooner had the game opened than the Irish forwards started to show marked superiority, both in the scrums and in the loose. They got the ball and swept down the held, and had opened the score with a try before the spectators had settled down. Arigo, a three-quarter, punted the ball towards the line, and as Brown, the English full-back, failed to gather it properly, Davy, an Irish half-back, ran up and scored a try. The Irishmen wore nearly over three more tunes before the interval, and the English players deserve great praise for the maimer they drove back their rivals when scrums were formed within uyds of their line. When the effort was most wanted they got the ball, aftei tho Irishmen had been carrying scrum after scrum. One minute after resuming play for tho second half, England managed to score. A nice passing movement, starting from the scrum “half,” enabled Aarvolu to make a run before he was tackled, when he passed to Smedley, who ran over, and Wilson converted. With a 2-point lead, the Englishmen played better for a time, but soon the Irish forwards were again in the picture and the play was usually in the English half of the field. At last the effort ot the visitors were rewarded. A scrum was fornjed close to the English hue arid the ball coming out to Sngden, he cut through and deceived tin* defenders by pretending to pass but going on himself to crow the lino. This try gave Ireland a narrow lead, which, was never lost. England made great efforts to break through towards the finish, and on one occasion had a great chance. Wilkinson a forward, had the line at his mercy and simply had to run across. To the dismay of the English supporters, lie dropped the ball and so a great chance clipped. There were two other occasions when a score looked likely, but something went wrong at the critical moment.

. Still, as Ireland were attacking for more than three-quarters of the game, it. seems certain that the best team won, and nob even the biggest supporters of England begrudge tile visitors their success For twenty years Ireland has been trying to beat England on the latter’s ground, and the success will do good." It is lar too common a custom in some quarters to make excuse for defeat, and it is refreshing to contemplate the attitude of tlie English Rugby world in connection with this. Oti all sides one hears general praise lor the Irish players and their brilliant work. It would be well if all branches of sportsmen profited by thiis, and when defeat comes along accept it in a proper manner, giving due praise to the successful athlete, boxer, swimmer, oarsman, cyclist,golfer, or whateiei particular pastime is concerned. There were over CO.OOO people at Twickenham on Saturday, and the experts agree that the match was a most interesting one. Cope Smili, who captained the English side, says that the Irish team is the best he has _ ever seen, and it is believed that the international championship will go to Ireland this yea..

SOCCER. Sheffield Wednesday, the leaders in the first division of the league, lost a point on Saturday, but is still favourably placed Having been beaten in the E.A Cup, the Wednesday can devote all attention to the league championship, and thar means much. At itho momcir Blackburn Rovers appear the greatest danger, but as holders of the F.A, Cup, the Lancashire club has two irons in the fee, and trying to land both honours may prove too much. The Rovers visited Manchester United on Saturday and won by the odd goal in three. Meanwhile Sheffield Wednesday did well enough to draw at Bolton, each side scoring 2 goals. Another prominent club in Sunderland dropped back th 'o> gh a reverse at Birmingham, where the home club prevailed by I. gna' to 0. These results leave Sheffield Wednesday a three-points’ lead over Blackburn, Sunderland and Aston Villa being two points further away. Turning to the second division, Chelsea came a “cropper” when visiting ■Nottingham Forest, the home side scoring three times without response. Meanwhile, Middlesborough registered a great win who at home to Wolverhampton, the score being 8 goals to 3 in favour of the former. This has enabled the winners to draw within one point ot Chelsea, and the leaders will have to show improvement to retain the lead. Glasgow Rangers go on their successful career in the Scottish League, and still retain an unbeaten record, \isitiim Raith Rovers on Saturday, the Rangers won by 3 goals to I, and can claim -18 points for twenty-five games. BOXING. . It seems that France has another real champion boxer in Emil Blander, who knocked out Johnny Hill at Baris last week. 'They had met twice, before, in London, the Scot gaining the'-de-cision on both occasions. .Thus it was all the more creditable that Blander turned the tables in the third encounter, and there was no mistake about his’victory. He appeared the stronger of the two, as whilst Tin shorter his weight is where it_ counts in punching power, which carried him to victory. Hill was down three times in the. second round, and he gallantly struggled on to the sixth round, when Blander attacked with great vim and knocked him out. It has been suggested that Hill was handicapped through only going to Baris on the eve of the contest, and that he had not recovered from a bad crossing. Naturally these things count, but it is up to those concerned to map out a proper course, and making excuses for defeats serves no good purpose. Hill makis no excuse himself, and simply says he wants an-

other match, which is the right spirit. If he wants to succeed, he had better train on different lines and cultivate a hard punch. Another international match at the week-end, which aroused much' interest, had Joe Bloomfield, of London, and A. Lengage, of France, as rivals, the pair meeting in a bout of fifteen rounds at The King. The Visitor got homo a damaging punch in the opening round, and whilst Bloomfield “stayed the course,” he was well beaten on points. - Coming events are arousing big interest, and the contemplated dash between Ted Baldock and La Barba for the world’s bantam-' weight title is perhaps one of the most attractive. Baldock may yet justify all the good things predicted for him, and when he is strong and well he is a real fighter as well as a talented boxer. Everyone hero appreciates the ability of the young American who won Olympic honours as an amateur and has gone to greater heights since. If Baldock can beat the American, it will ’indeed be a triumph for the little “Cockney.” His chance would be enhanced if he trained by working hard on a farm, so building up his constitution and vitality. BILLIARDS. Horace Coles, of Cardiff, has greatly added to his reputation by his splendid form in flic semi-final of the amateur championship. He simply overwhelmed F. V. Stacey, of Sheffield, who is the amateur snooker champion, winning by 2,0U0 to 767. Stacey opened up an early lend, thanks to a break of 1-59. Coles soon went ahead, however, and on the first day he had breaks of 141, 148, and 127. The next day he went further away, a break of 176 in the afternoon being a feature. With a commanding lead ho was able to go all out at the last session, when he registered breaks of 205 and 220 unfinished, the last-carrying him to game. With six breaks of over 100 during the match and two of over 200 at'the final session, Coles showed his great improvement, whilst his average at the last session was 83. No amateur lias ever shown better form, and he is expected to win the final, in which he will meet S. Lee, the young London player who has come so well to the fore. He qualified for the final by defeating M'. A. Boggan, the player who defeated A. Wardle, the holder, dust when Lee appeared well placed for a good win, Boggan made a great break of 349, a new amateur record under the present rules, and this gave him a narrow lead. Lee was not disturbed, and at the last .session he drew away to win by 256 points. His day will come, but he can hardly he expected to beat Coles, an experienced and talented player. Willie Smith wound up his English season in great style, conceding A. Peall 10.000 points in a week’s game and winning anyhow. He scored 17,540 in the twelve sessions, made thref breaks of over 2,000, and in the last two days registered breaks of 862, 907, 650, and 900 Smith will soon be on lus way to India and Australia, and given good health he is likely to astound '"billiard lovers in these countries. ATHLETICS. The north and south of the Thames cross-country championships were the big things of the athletic world on Saturday. Enormous fields turned out, and the southern race at Merstham provided something of a surprise, A\. A. Townsend, of Swindon, winning. Many years have elapsed since the great J. Kibblewhite, of Swindon, won championships across country and on the flat, ami it will delight West Country .sportsmen should another Wiltshire athlete come to the fore. Old-timers will also recall the many championship honours of W. G. and A. B. George, two other athletes, who attribute some of their success to the health-giving breezes of the Wiltshire Downs, on which many Derby winners have also been trained. The North of 'Thames race at Tloclif'ord was won by IT. AY. Payne, his Fourth success. He has been down with influenza, hut is coining round, and will make a bold bid lor the southern championship on February 23, which title ho holds. Another big event on Saturday was the Yorkshire championship at AA'estwood. in which AV. Beavers, of York, scored an easy win from E. Harper, of Hallninshire. Beavers won the A.A.A. four-mile fiat championship last July, and also scored in the northern cross-country championship, which again looks'like going to him.