A WARM WELCOME.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 159, 8 July 1935, Page 13

A WARM WELCOME.

MAORIS IN AUSTRALIA.

TOUR. OPENS WEDNESDAY. QUEENSLAND TEST THREE DAYS LATER. SYDNEY, July 7. The Ma'ri Rugby team will leave for Quecnslan I. to-morrow and will play their first mafcih at Warwick on Wednesday. The newt papers feature the news of their arrival. Speaking at the official reception to the Maoris on Saturday, the chairman of the New South Wales Rugby Union, Mr. W. Hill, and the well-known, international player Cyril Towers, emphasised that the Maoris had done a great deal toward enhancing New Zealand's fine football reputation. Mr. Kingi Tawhiri, the manager, in replying, said: "Our boys are full of 'pep' and we are going to make the games as bright as you want them." The co-manager, Mr. W. J. Wallace, said: "Our boys have promised they will throw the ball about and they will keep their word. Nepia added: ''We know you like a spectacular game, and we are going to play it." Reedy won admiration for his leadership of a haka, the performance of which always arouses great interest in Australia. Many spectators displayed great interest in the Maoris' practice in the afternoon. They were particularly impressed by the speed of the forwards.

The Maoris' first serious test will be against Queensland next Saturday. The selected local team is strong, containing nine Australian representatives, namely, Bennett, Lewis, McLean, Hayes, Birmingham, Bonis, Ritter, Doneley, and WhyaU. Critics generally agree that if the visitors make a showing against this side their tour will be a great success. The complete Queensland team is:— Full-back.—F. Vincent. Three-quarters.—D. McLean, E. Hayes, N. Ward, and J. Kirwan. Five-eighth.—L. Lewis. Half-back.—G. Bennett (captain). Forwards.—V. Birmingham, E. Bouis, J. Ritter, B. Doneley, V. Wilson, K. Suter, F. Whyatt, D. Nicholson. Reserves.—H. Stunun, A. Wildman, P. Dixon, and E. Jamee. There is general regret that Stumm failed to make tho side, as lie is to leave for Oxford shortly as Queensland's Rhodes scholar. Doneley is a phenomenal goalkicker. He has scored 100 points this season and 100 for Queensland in three seasons. The Queensland Union has not decided whether to make the match on July 20 one against an Australian fifteen or one against Queensland. Everything depends upon the showing of the visitors this week. The standard of Maori teams in the pafit has caused great public interest.Ncpia's men will be feted in Queensland as no other native team has been. The first game against Warwick on Wednesday will be a tougher test than was first imagined, as the Warwick pack contains many big farmers, who play like supermen on their home ground. Warwick already has beaten Brisbane, and the team contains seven inter-State men this season.'■ fe The Maori team already has a man on the casualty list. Kotua is suffering from a poisoned leg, which developed as the result of an injury in a recent match. There was some doubt as to whether Kotua would bo able to accompany his colleagues to Queensland on Monday, but a doctor advised he may make the trip. It is expected that it will be some time before he is able to play.

POVERTY BAY BEATEN.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.> GISBORNE, Saturday. Wet conditions underfoot and a greasy bail did not prevent the Bay of Plenty and the Poverty Bay Itugby teams from staging a good ppen exhibition to-day, in their first meeting for two years. The visitors showed speed, and fair combination among the forwards, but the principal feature of their back play was the soundness of E. Howoll, without whom the Hay of Plenty would have been overwhelmed. Poverty Bay played at averafee standard. l)iit missed opportunities. At half-time Poverty Bay led by 0 points to 8. The scorers for the home side were Moeau (try) and Haua (conversion and field goal), and for the Bay of Plenty, Morgan and Brown (tries) and Morgan (conversion). Poverty Bay increased their lead early in the seeonrt half by an unconverted try, but tho visitors rallied strongly and two late tries, .one converted, guve them the lead ton minutes from the finish. There was no further score, the game finishing Bay of Plenty Iβ Poverty Bay 12 The late scorers for the winners were Lees and Brown, and Francis converted one. Ross scored a try for Poverty Bay.

SCHOOLBOYS' GAMES.

CALIXTUS SHIELD COMPETTITION. Eden JPnrtc Group 6 beat North Shore Group 0. F.RIBNDLT MATCH. St.. George's 6, beat Parnell 0.