Rugby final at Vung Tau DPR/TV/721

Sport in South Vietnam - like sport anywhere - is a break from the routine of daily work. And last weekend, when two sides from the 1st Australian Logistic Support group, based at Vung Tau, played off in the grand final of the rugby union competition, it was the day of reckoning. The sides - 17th Construction Squadron, Royal Australian Engineers, and 5th Company, Royal Australian Army Service Corps - had been traditional rivals in competition since they arrived in Vietnam. The game, which was played at the South Vietnamese Junior Military Academy oval at Vung Tau, sparked an interest seldom seen among units in a war zone. Not only were there Australian followers of the sides, but local Vietnamese children and students from the academy also lined the boundary to watch the match. Both units had played off in the Australian Rules final the previous week, which was won by 5th Company. Last weekend, 17th Construction Squadron was out to avenge the defeat - and it succeeded by 9 points to 6. It may not have been the greatest game of rugby union seen, but it certainly had the makings of a hard, tough match. The Logistic Group is perhaps the most sports minded Australian base in South Vietnam, and conducts regular weekly competions in Australian Rules, Rugby Union, Soccer and Volley-Ball.