The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Australian troops have introduced Rugby Union to Phuoc Tuy Province in South Vietnam. The first game to be seen by local residents of the Province capital Baria, was played during siesta time last Saturday afternoon. One team was fielded by 6 RAR and they played members of 161 New Zealand Artillery Battery. The game took place on the oval of the Baria Sports Stadium in searing heat. The 6 RAR team spoted green football jumpers, while the New Zealanders were dressed in maroon. Replacements were allowed throughout to avoid heat exhaustion since the temperature was over 90 deg. with 80 per cent humidity. From the start, the Kiwis set the pace but untill half time the game was very scrappy. Hundreds of Vietnamese, including scores of young boys, together with more than 100 Australian and New Zealand soldiers, watched the torrid match on an oval marked with white mine tape. Among the spectators were the Commander of the Task Force, Brig. O.D. Jackson, the Province Chief Lt. Col. Levan Dat, the Commanding Officer of 6 RAR Lt. Col. C.M. Townsend and the Commanding Officer of 1 Field Regiment Lt. Col. R.M.C. Cubis. The first scorer of the match was New Zealnad goal kicker Sgt. Trevor Pilcher, who kicked a penalty. Australia's only points were a try by Pte. Ken Wallace of Brisbane and the conversion by Australian skipper, Captain Ted Stevenson of Sydney in the first half. Pte. Wallace playing half back, put the ball in the scrum and the Australians won. He took off along the blind side and fed the ball to Private Tony Blanco of Thursday Island who dashed 40 yd. before passing it back to Pte. Wallace. Wallace then brushed off a tackle by the New Zealand full back and dived between the goal posts to score. In the second half the standard of play by both teams was good. After the match an Australian doctor said he was amazed there were no casualties in the oppresive heat but attributed the success to the fitness of the Task Force soldiers. Final scores : New Zealand 14 defeated Australia 5.
Rugby Union made its debut in Phouc Tuy Province of South Vietnam when a team from the 6th Battalion RAR played a team from the 161st New Zealand Artillery Battery at the Ba Ria Stadium. New Zealand
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