RUGBY FOOTBALL

Hokitika Guardian, 3 April 1929, Page 5

RUGBY FOOTBALL

IRELAND’S SUCCESS

FIERY FORAY API) RUSHES,

OR R. T. GAPE, The Famous Welsh International.)

LONDON, February 12 Ireland (> points England 5 points

Ireland have at long last broken the spell of the Twickenham ground—this is the first success they have ever obtained at England’s headquarters They achieved their ambition through playing the dour game which is traditionally their own.

England were beaten because they allowed Ireland to call the tune. The foundation of the victory was undoubtedly laid by the Irish forwards who, by their footwork, their fierce tacliling and their harassing of the hacks, reduced England to a state bordering on demoralisation.

The English backs were given many opportunities, hut they seemed to he more intent on getting rid of the hall and getting rid of it quickly—without any regard as to direction or the possibility of interception—than of endeavouring to heat the defence. They were so harassed that frequently they gave wild passes right on their own line, and on many occasions only good fortune kept their line intact. During the period of the ascendancy of the Irish forwards England, instead of driving them hack and taking the steam out of them by judicious kicking into touch, played right into their hands. This they did by slow heeling and ill-aimed passing, with the result that Clinch and his co-raiders simply revelled in their devastating role of “ eats among the pigeons.”

In spite of the fact that the Irish forwards dominated the proceedings. England might have won the game it they had shown more steadiness and less inclination to be panicky at the critical moment.

Tn short, they frittered away the?:opportunities through what appeared to he lack of ability but what was reallv lack of control.

Davy apart from claiming the distinction for being at hand when T. W. Brown made his only error in fielding an error which enabled the Irish fly-half to score the opening try—was not so versatile as Mark Sugden. who was a constant instigator of trouble for England. But why Subden was allowed such an easy journey from the base of the scrum to score the winning try, only the winging forwards of England will lie able to answer.

Not one of them broke up from the scrummage to help A. T. Young and to see what trouble was brewing. Sugden must have been agreeably surprised at the considerateness of the English forwards. YOUNG DOES WELL.

This was not the treatment that the Trisli breakaway forwards meted out to Young, who, in spite of the keen attention paid to him, managed to get through an enormous amount- of effective work.

Barring occasional reckless passing, of which he, in conjunction with the other hacks, was guilty, lie was the “live wire” of the attack.

Laird, Sladen, and Aavold were very subdued, generally speaking, and W ilsoti could not get going. The lastnamed showed that ho is clever at screw-kicking under pressure. The best of the “threes” was It. W. Smeddle, who, like his opponent Arigho, eo ud have done with more feeding. Both tlie full-backs, Brown and Stewart, go safely out of many difficulties and kicked with good judgment. The English forwards, apart from getting possession in tho scrummages, in which phase they were better than Ireland, clearly played second fiddle to the fierv Irishmen. ENGLAND’S TRY.

There wore rare occasions, however, on which the English backs revealed glimpses of their true form, and each time the Irish citadel was in imminent danger. The try that England score was due to one of these ref resiling tit-bits, in which Sladen, Aarvold, and Smeddie showed perfect judgment in running and in the timing of their passes. The game was full of thrills, hut they were seldom due to spectacular hack play, and for this defect the Irish backs were quite as blameworthy as the English.

But it must be pointed out in extenuation that Ireland lost the inspiring influence of George Stephenson early on, after he had made one glorious hurst, in the execution of which he received an injury. This necessitated his retirement for a time. After his return—England had scored their try meanwhile —he inter-chang-ed with R. M- Byers on the right wing, but here lie was more or less of a passenger. Although obviously in pain Stephenson did several smart things, hut Ireland had lost their genius in atThe other centre. T. Murray, was better as a destructive than as a constructive player. His tackling and shadowing of C. D. Aar void "as a feature of the game, but his service to J. E. Arigho, a sparkling player whose adequate feeding would have benefited Ireland, was very indffovent.