RUGBY SURPRISE

Hokitika Guardian, 24 April 1920, Page 4

RUGBY SURPRISE

SCOTLAND’S DEFEAT OF WALES. LONDON, February 24. Scotland Opts. Wales 5. Scotland unexpectedly beat Wales at inverleith through the magnificent display of tlieir forwards and the extraordinary (blunders of the Welsh backs, particularly J. Wetter and J. Shea. It was not a great game to watch, but rather a gigantic struggle between two splendidly matched set of forwards. In tliserum the Welshmen were great. They packed well and were very clever in heeling out the ball, but when it came to quick breaking up and smashing forward rushes they were beaten by the Scots, who in this way did milch to upset the calculations of tho Welsh three quarters. These three-quarters only showed faint glimpses of the brilliant form displayed at Inverleith by pre-war Welsh backs. There was no doubt that up to a point the Welshmen were dev- : over n.nd faster than the. Scottish three- : quarters, but they made far more mistakes, and, as it turned out, they paid : the full penalty for blunders and for 1 infringements which were quite properly 1 penalised. > A TALE OF PENALTIES. i

The two penalty goals which gave Scotland the victory were the direct result of had tactics at critical' points, in one instance for “feet up,” and in the second case where J. Wetter was pulled up for off-side, a failure which he manifested far too often.

It was also J. Wetter’s wild pass and a had fumble by J. Shea which let the Scottish forwards away with that grand dash which culminated in A. T. Sloan scoring the try which put Scotland ono point ahead.

For the times that the Welsh backs got the ball from the scrum they should have made far more of their chances in the first half, when they had the wind behind them, but, as it happened, A. Jenkins’s try was the result of one of the, few really fine combined efforts of the visitors. Even in the last fifteen minutes of the match, when Scotland, with one three-quarter carried off and Dr Fab my limping badly, were desperately holding to their lead, the Welsh hacks should have scored, but B. Benyon and J. Shea seemed to have lost their heads, the latter, with a clear run in, allowing himself to be tackled anil, then throwing a wild pass forward with two of his colleagues beside him unmarked. SCOTS’ GOOD HANDLING. It need not be inferred, however, that the Scots should not have won. In the first quarter of an hour. Tho home three-quarters handled in a manner which indicated that they could not help scoring if they continued to display such brilliant combination, but neither S. B. Mackay nor A. W. Angus was fast enough, to get round their speedy opponents, and the latter showed a tendency to hang on too long to the ball when if he had parted with it there might on two occasions have been a score. A. T. Sloan was a clever individual player, and. in gaining his try showed a rare turn of speed, but he did not come up to expectations.

•J. A. R. Selby, on the other hand, thoroughly justified his claim to be included in the team, and if he did not display the same agility and cuteness as J. Wetter he certainly did not make such fatal mistakes. E. C. Fahmy and G. B. Ci'ole were the soundest of the Scottish three-quarters, and the Oxonian was always dangerous when he had the ball. If J. Rees had not been the sound tackier he was G. B. Crole would have added to the victors’ total. F. KENNEDY’S KICKING. Another discovery was G. L. Pattullo, the Scottish lull-back. There wore times when he displayed the qualities of a great player, especially the brilliantly audacious manner in wihicli lie followed up a long punt and smothered J. Shea before he could part with the ball. Neither hack division could be described as more than moderate, and the game was won through the dashing tactics of the Scottish forwards, in whose ranks was F. Kennedy, the young Stewart’s College player, wnose goal kicking was a. startling revelation even to Welshmen. His first effort was taken from ton yards from the midfield lino, and he laid to judge for a strong cross wind. It was a-* magnificent goal. j Kennedy’s second kick was almost as good ns the first, and for this alone he

nil long be remembered. G. 11. .Maxwell, who was probably tl best forward on the field, showed a woj lerful turn of speed for a man of hi size, and lie did some wonderful touc ricking. Jn the last fifteen minutes, when Scof and were practically playing with thii ;een thou, Wales made desperato effort :o break through. A curious incidei; mppened at tin's period. When Wale were awarded a penalty kick near tli Scottish line, J. Shea ,instead of droi I'ing at goal, tried a short punt ahem with the object of gaining a try which i converted, would have given Wales ill lead, whereas a penalty goal would stil iave left the visitors one point to tin Kid. Ii was good enough tactics as a ast desperate resort, but as it turned nit the effort was a bail fizzle, the ball going into the bands of a Scottish forward. The closing minutes were full of excitement, especially when the Scottish forwards dashed away to midfield. First 11. Uzzell and then J. Jones were “laid out” inside of live minutes. The final score in Scotland’s favour ivns iwo penally go* Is and a try to a, goal.