LEAGUERS, GOOD WIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 307, 28 December 1926, Page 7

LEAGUERS , GOOD WIN.

GAME IN LANCASHIRE. BROUGHTON RANGERS BEATEN. N.Z. BACKS BRILLIANT. (By Cable. —Press Association. —Copyright.) (Received 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, December 27. The New Zealand League footballere defeated Broughton Rangers by 32 points (eight tries, four converted) to 8 points (two unconverted trie 6 and a penalty goal. Play opened scrappily, the Xew Zealaners finding difficulty in combating Broughton Rangers' vigorous forward rushes. Broughton opened the scoring, Bevan placing a penalty goal. Later, the home eide almost crossed the Xew Zealanders , line. The visitors then attacked in a magnificent bout of paesing, the ball travelling three-quarters the length of the field. Gardiner and Brisbane made ground before in-paseing to Avery who scored. Delgrceso was unable to convert. Lomas then scored an unconverted try for tlic liornp team, but just before mlf-time Dufty broke away and passed to Avery, who scored. Dufty goaled. In the second half, Merriman (Broughton Rangers) was unable to play owing to injury. The New Zealanders gave a vastly improved display and were superior to their opponents in all departments of the game. Brown, Kerwan and Avery scored trice in the first quarter of an hour. Dufty converting the last. Thereafter, the New Zealanders' brilliant handling and speed nonplussed the home side. On three occasions they penetrated the defence, but the final passes were knocked on. Finally, Maeon scored a try which Dufty converted. Avery continued to be the outstanding player. He scored two further tries, Dufty goaling ojie. Condren, for Broughton Rangers, reduced the lead by ecoring an unconverted try. Hall and Delgroseo played excellent games behind the ecrum. Brisbane and Kirwan were brilliant in the threequarter line. The New Zealand team was as follows: Dufty, Brown, Kirwan, Brisbane, Gardiner, Hall, Delgrosso, Menzies, Parkes, Herring, Thomae, Mason and Aver}'. MAORIS BEAT FRANCE. FINAL OFFICIAL MATCH. GAME LACKING DASH. PARIS, December 20. In the final official match of their tour the Maoris defeated France by 12 points to 3. The game, which was played at Colombes, was a poor one. Both teams lacked dash and confidence.The Maoris kicked too much and their form was patchy. Bell, Dennis and Rika were the best. The French forwards were good, but the backs failed. Fiance gained the initial advantage over the Maoris, scoring from a breakaway twenty minutes after the commencement. The try was not converted. After fast play up and down the field the Maoris obtained their first try just before half-time. Manihera passed to the backs and Barclay scored. The try was not converted, making the tally three all. In the second half Falwasser, after a fine run down the field, scored a try, which Matene failed to convert. Then Rika scored, Love this time failing with the kick. Barclay touched down after a run of 50 yards, but the referee decided that he had put his foot into touch in evading the fullback. However, in the closing stages Barclay got across again to score a try in the corner, which Matene failed to convert. This made tSe final score: Maoris, 12; France, 3. The Maori team was Phillips, Falwasser, l'elham, Barclay, Bell, Mete, Love, Wineera, Olsen, Dennis, Matene, Rika, Manihera, Robinson and Geinmell.

Although the Maoris have now completed their official itinerary, various extra matches have since been announced. The team will play a Welsh ex-servicemen's team at Cardiff tomorrow, a charity match against \Y. W. Wakefield's fifteen at London on Saturday, and matches at Glasgow and Edinburgh on January 3 and 5 respectively.