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The Spike or Victoria College Review, June 1906

New Zealand v. France

page 20

New Zealand v. France.

The special football reporter of THE SPIKE, who was sent to accompany the New Zealand team on its English tour, seems to have gone with the team to Paris, and witnessed the match against "All France" on New Year's Day. But it appears that the fascinations of the gay capital prevented him from writing the account he was supposed to contribute to THE SPIKE. Instead he sends us an illustrated account taken from a French sporting paper, "La Vie an Grand Air." The account is too long for us to reproduce in extenso; but, with the help of the dictionary, and occasional lapses into the original, we present our readers with the essence of this curious document.

"It was a singularly happy idea to choose January 1 for the date of the match between France and New Zealand, because it will always be easy to remember this historic date, the most important in the annals of French Rugby. It was rendered still more memorable by the enthusiasm of the spectators, which was great; and by the defence of our team, which was heroic. Besides, 11,000 francs gate money was taken, twice as much as the most sanguine anticipated; the organisers of the meeting se sentirent I'âme en joie: leur contentement fut tel que l'un d'eux, un de nos plus graves confrères, en perdit I'équilibre—to the great joy of the spectators."

(Did he dance for joy and tumble down ? or was it a case of celebrating the event?)

"The thousands of spectators clearly proved two things: Frenchmen no longer dread catching cold: Frenchmen no longer feel obliged to pay calls on New Year's Day. To have banished Mrs. Grundy; to have banished the fear of colds; are these not sufficient triumphs ? . . . . . The New Zealanders had chosen their team the day before. But for the absence of Roberts, it was their best team. The French team, the best that could be picked, fully came up to our expectations."

Here follow the names of the French players, the scribe adding "their names now form part of the history of their page 21 country, and posterity will be grateful to me for placing them on record."

Then comes a diagram, which we reproduce, entitled "le schéma théorique." Before the game begins "l'équipe zélandaise rangée en demi-cercle entonne un chant longuement modulé." Now for the game:

"From the start it was obvious that though we had eight forwards to their seven, we could not get the ball en mêlee: while their swifter and more numerous backs outflanked us continually. The French captain was in terrible anguish; was he to weaken his weak forwards in order to reinforce his equally weak back division? He decided not to do so. He kept to the classical formation which the English had only once maintained against these adversaries; and on that occasion it cost them 60 points. Were we more skilful . . . . . or only luckier?

"Two tries scored in a quarter of an hour did not, as might have been supposed, discourage the French team. With extreme ingenuity they took advantage of the marshy state of the ground pour risquer quelques dribblings. Then the fire and fury of our Southerners came to the rescue, we reached the foreigners' goal, Cessieux of Lyons scored a try! The uproar was deafening, it was a delirious manifestation of patriotic joy. Après tout c'était légitime.

"The collapse of the New Zealanders was only momentary. Indeed, what can one do against men who always have the ball in the scrum, and who make long series of passes without a mistake? At half-time the score stood 18 to 3.

"When play began again another try was scored, which Baulat converted, amidst indescribable enthusiasm. In fact victory seemed possible. But luckily for our national modesty the game went back to its expected course. With surprising regularity the New Zealanders gagnaient du terrain à chaque mêlée, ne dribblant jamais d'ailleurs; leur procédé est élégant; leurs arrières profitent de la moindre trouée et s'y précipitent, évitant les adversaires avec une subtilité inouie. The game ended with 38 points (10 tries 4 goals) to 8 (2 tries 1 goal) (sic).

"Ah! But it was an honourable defeat! Gallaher said so. Perhaps he thought that on a dry ground the French would not page 22 have scored. If he thought so, he did not say so. Why should we be more pro-New Zealand than he? We played well; 'tis but justice to say so. Our adversaries were heavier than we; the strongest and heaviest team ever known in Europe; they were faster; they knew the game better; they were better trained and better together. Who knows? Perhaps we shall defeat England. It is more than we ever dared to hope hither to. Gallaher a déclaré qu'il avait rencontré d'excellents avants et trouvé en ses adversaires de véritables gentlemen. These amiable remarks must be true, car Gallaher parle pen."

graphic border page 23

graphic of rugby field with teams