EASY FOR MAORIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 174, 25 July 1935, Page 18

EASY FOR MAORIS.

VICTORY BY 35 POINTS. " DANGEROUSLY RECKLESS." HOOKING STILL A WEAKNESS. SYDNEY, July 24. | The Maori Rugby loam to-day defeated ] a Far West fifteen, at Dubbo, by 38 points I to 3. Without taking their opponents cheaply I the Maoris adopted an unorthodox style and threw the ball about in dangerously reckless fashion, to thrill 2000 spectators on the showground. / The teams were: — Maoris—Nopia, Henri, Phillips, Ngaio, Chase. J. Reedy, Mellish, Kershaw, Mitchell. K. Reedy, Cooper. Kawe, Parata, C<. Harrison and Brodrick. Far West.—Ryan, J. Whale, Hickey, Osborne, V. Whale, E. Lay, Wheeler, Kicrath, L. Lay, Kelly, Booth, Anderson, Bright, Masterton and Keane. During play Bright and Keane went oil' with cut eyes, and were replaced by J. Kyan. The game was begun at hurricane speed, and although the Maoris lost the majority of the set scrums their perfect handling and the uncanny anticipation of all the players, particularly Ngaio, Mellish, Harrison and Nepia, enabled them to whip the ball across the field and back in dazzling movements. Flay took place on grassless sand, and blinding dust was raised by a slight wind. Although the score mounted steadily, the Far West players provided stern resistance and were dangerous during many periods in the first spell, when territorially the game was even. In spite of the thrusting backs, Far West Jacked understanding, and the side's onlv points came from a penalty goal kicked by JO. Lay in the first spell. After half-time the Maoris adopted even more exciting tactics, the ball darting from hand to hand, whether on their own goal line or within an inch of scoring. The western people, who were having their first taste of international football, showed their appreciation and admiration more by gasps of amazement than by their vociferous cheers. V disappointing feature of the play was the inability of the Maoris to hook from the set scrums, but their tactics were so unorthodox, and yet so pleasing, that they generally made capital from their own tail- , ings. Their line kicking was of a high order, but their goal kick* were poor, Hemi converting only two of the nine tries scored. The scorers for the Maoris were:—J. Reedy, Harrison, Nepia, Mellish, Ngaio Brodrick and Phillips, one try each, and Cooper two tries. Ngaio hurt a knee, and although he played on he will need a rest. He played brilliantly.