RUGBY IN LONDON

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 November 1940, Page 6

RUGBY IN LONDON

NEW ZEALAND ARMY TEAM DEFEATED NARROW WIN FOR ROSSLYN CLUB. MARGIN OF TWO POINTS. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, November 23. In a Rugby match in London today Rosslyn Park Club beat a New Zealand Expeditionary Force fifteen, 22 points to 20. The New Zealanders were the first representative Dominion Service Rugby team to play in London since the last war. Rosslyn Park is one of England’s finest teams. The club was formed in 1879.

CONCLUDING DASH AFTER BEING 22 POINTS BEHIND SPARKLING FORM IN SECOND HALF. LONDON, November 24. The “Sunday Times” says: “The All Blacks found their form too late. After being down 17 points in the first half the New Zealand Army played like a different team in the second and scored no fewer thcyi 20 points, and if they had been given a few more minutes to play they might have won. “Once only in the first half the New Zealanders were near scoring. That was when O’Hearn cleverly broke through but was brought down within easy distance of the line. Thereafter Rosslyn Park constantly attacked, and the All Blacks were never in the picture till after change-over. In the second half Rosslyn Park scored only one try, which was converted. Then it was the New Zealanders all the time. “Four tries from King, O’Hearn. Neighbours and Pepper, each gemlike, were all converted by Simpson, whose place-kicking was an object lesson in sureness and deftness. The New Zealanders’ touch-finding- was also a pattern of accuracy, and their tackling in the second half was fully worthy of the All Black tradition. O'Hearn and Tindill were the best of the backs.” A report of the match received from the New Zealand official services states that the New Zealanders were overrun and almost disgraced till the middle of the second spell, when the score was 22-nil against them. The forwards were listless and were consistently beaten for the ball. The backs were either not tackling or going high. Then, for a while, the team awakened, and the crowd was given 15 or 20 minutes of New Zealand Rugby at its best.