Roger Millward wrong foots the French defence in Perpignan
Coach, Alex Murphy was glowing in his praise of halfback, Roger Millward after England hung on for an 11-9 win over a powerful French side in Perpignan in the first match of a Tri-series, which also involved Wales.
Murphy told Brian Batty from the Daily Mail that Millward (Hull Kingston Rovers) was back to his best after some critics had written him off after Salford’s Ken Gill had been preferred at five eighth in the Great Britain side for the Ashes deciding Third Test in Sydney in 1974.
David Topliss (Wakefield Trinity) started at five against the French in Perpignan.
“Roger is doing a great job for his club and country,” Murphy said. “He seems to have regained his pace, and has a great football brain”.
Millward was almost lost to soccer as a schoolboy, playing inside forward for Castleford Grammar School. His father had played for Rotherham United. But league won out, with Millward representing Yorkshire Colts against Lancashire Colts when he marked future England soccer captain, Emlyn Hughes.
Millward’s rival in the Perpignan Test was Jackie Imbert, a butcher from Avignon.
England’s try scorers were Martin Murphy, (Oldham); former England rugby union winger, Keith Fielding (Salford) and Leeds centre, Les Dyl. Wigan’s John Gray, the find of Great Britain’s ‘down under’ tour in 1974, landed one conversion.
France’s try was scored by Bernard Curt from the Bordeaux club, with Victor Serrano (St Gaudens) landing three goals.
The crowd was 12,000.
About Author
