THE KING PRESENTS HIS CUP.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 June 1919, Page 1

THE KING PRESENTS HIS CUP.

TRIUMPH OP THE ALL BLACKS. London, April 21 Hew Zealand 20 points, Preuch Army 3. Nearly 20,0n0 people made their way to Twickenham on Saturday for the winding-up of the Loudon Rugby season. It was a great day for the New Zealand side, who received the Cup which they had so gallantly won in the Inter-Services Competition from the hands of the King. His* Majesty brought his four .-,ons with him, and all were deeply interested in the surprisingly good game put up by the French representatives Sergt-Major Ryan, the New Zea'and captain, was a happy man as he took the Cup from the King’s hands, and he had every right to be. The trophy could have no more fitting abiding place than the Dominion which has sent so many bravo soldiers to the Imperial cause, and her football players, like her fighting men, are unsurpassed.

The French side received an enthusiastic welcome when they took the field, and thej’, too, will long cherish the memory tf their first great Rugby game since the 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 Franco since the armistice has been of great benefit to (hem. They showed far more idea of combined attack than ever before, and they played a keen, hard forward game with gied. spirit. That they were worn down and outplayed in. the last VG minutes was 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 the same rate if. will not be long before they will have to he reckoned as serious competitors in the international tournament.

FRKNCIC men’s GOOD KICKIN’..

The Frenchmen had (lie wind behind them in the first half, and play had not been in progress many minutes, before they showed they knew how to kick, and, indeed, all through the match they shone in this particular department, the captain, Struxiano, at half and the two centres being especially clover.

Very early in the game the All Hacks looked like scoring, but they threw the try away, and France took

* up the running. A centre threequarter broke through in fine style, arid smart passing gained quite a lot of ground. The New Zealanders made their way back and compelled France to save, but. from the drop-out the visitors came down the ground in great style and established themselves I in the New Zealand " 25.” Here they remained for some minutes, resisting all attempts to drive them back, and eventually a clever movement sent in Hi on with a really lino try, which brought down the house. This was a quarter of an hour from the start, and it was nearly 20 minutes before the All Blacks could equalise The French full back was kept busy, and he was quite equal to the situation, clearing time after time in firstclass style. Ford fried to drop a goal and iuid had luck in not succeeding, the ball hitting the cross-bar and rebounding into play. Eventually, Singe, tlieirreprc siblo wing for wait!, who had been quilo outplayed by Struxiano in tin earlier stages, obtained one of his characteristic tries in a forward melee near the line, Sfohr missing an easy place-kick. The team, therefore, changed ends on equal terms, and (he Frenchmen were heartily applauded for their spirited display. KIIBNCII l-YI.L hack’s HIMM.IANCK. The first incident after half-time was a brilliant piece of play by the French back Mnzarico, who made a clever mark under difficulties, and put in a great kick. The All Blacks attacked strongly, but. the French

forwards were not done with yet, and more than once they cleared their lines with irresistible rushes, They were helped considerably by the many mistakes of the New’ Zealand backs in handling the ball, and the 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 more than one promising movement, while others came to an end through tho inability of the Colonial backs to do tlie right thing.

Very soon the 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 iti succession. Hazel 1 got the first, though ther e was considerable doubt as to whether the ball had ever been in the scrummage, and himseltf failed with the kick. The pressure wa- maintained, and Storey, on the left wing, had a couple of chances but could not get through. O’Brien, with well judged puuts. kept his men in the French quarters, and eventually West got over rather easily from a line-out, Hassell’s kick again failing. Kissiek was the next to score, and theu Brown hustled his way across but no goal was kicked.

The French forwards had played themselves out by this time, but the outsides stuck well to. their work, Mazarus repeate dy saving and clearing in brilliant fashion. As a team, however, they did not know how to cope with the forward attack of the Colonials, whose whiilwiud rushes near the line always spell danger. Before the end Ford ran in and at last a goal was kicked, Ryan proving successful. Tho New Zealanders thus won by a goal and five tries (o a try.

The losers deserve every credit for their plucky efforts. They have still, of course, something to learn, but their full-back, Mazarus, and their captain and scrum half, Stauxiano, are good enough for any company, I he former quickly became a popular favourite, and the 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 prominent; they were clever in the loose, and in the first half seemed * able to got the ball almost as they liked. They have still to master the tactics of the line-out. The New Zealanders won fairly easily at the finish, and probably that was all they wanted. O’Brien was as reliable as ever, and the towards came into they 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 acc-itain match in Wales to-day, and were not keen on over-exciting themselves.