“DOG FIGHT.”

Hokitika Guardian, 25 February 1932, Page 2

“DOG FIGHT.”

SPRINGBOKS V. ENGLAND. ROUGH PLAY. LONDON, Feb. 22. Seventy thousand people who asseni hied at Twickenham to see the great Rugby match between England and the Springboks watched England go down to defeat by seven points to nil. They saw: One of the luckiest tries ever scored in an international match. One of the most amazing long-dis-tance drop goals ever kicked on this world-famous ground. And towards the end they also saw the game gradually descended into a species of dogfight, with rough pla> and much kicking. The referee’s decision in regard to tile try scored by the South Africans in the first half caused consideiable resentment among the large section ot the crowd. The general opinion at the end of the game was that the referee was right and that the try was properly scored in accordance with the rules of the game. But at the time of the actual decision there were a number of jeers, especially from the people in the east stand and at the open end. There Were ©veil isolated cries of ‘“Play the game, Springboks”—a demonstration ot feeling very unusual at Twickenham. After the game everybody was discussing the rough tactics employed by the visitors and by certain members of the England team towards the close of play. It was certainly the roughest international played between important sides at Twickenham since the war.

TICKET PROFITEERS. No crowd approaching the dimension.of this gathering has ever previously attended a Rugby game in England. \ It was impossible for weeks previously to obtain tickets. Profiteers outside the ground were aide to get as much as £4 a ticket from late-comers, Rugby football is capturing the imagination of the women of England—especially the pretty women. In those immense solid masses of humanity, outhad only to look at every third seat to discover a beautiful girl. The ground was almost a fashion parade—women in marvellous minkcoats, one or two in sables; others in neat tailor suits with kerchiefs of the brightest colours, and little tightfitting hats of red and blue. Many of the women had rattles, and others wore little yellow and green rosettes—tiie colours of the Springbok.. —because they looked so pretty. REFEREE CONFUSION.

All the England team were covered with mud and dirt, for it was a gann of much tackling and sprawling on the damp ground... But the referee was so different; sc spruce. He had originally come on the ground in a dark blue jersey which so confused both •sides that they thought lie was an additional player. The two captains asked him if In could not find something distinctive to wear, and the officials supplied him with the fiercest red and white striped singlet, ever seen at Twickenham. It was the last note of gaiety in the gathering gloom and the hour of defeat.