34 POINTS TO SPARE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 180, 1 August 1935, Page 20

34 POINTS TO SPARE.

MAORIS PLAY AT BATHURST. WESTERN DISTRICTS FADE. THIRTY-ONE POINTS SECOND SPELL SYDNEY, July 31. The Maori Rugby Union footballers to-day defeated a Western Districts team at Bathurst, New South Wales, by 42 points to S. The Maori team was:—Nepia. McDonald, Hemi, Phillips, Chase, Kotua, Mellish, Mitchell, Whiu. Kershaw, Whitely, P. Smith, Cooper, Rogers, G. Harrison. During the second half Cooper sustained a cut under the eye and was not replaced. The scalers for the Maoris were:— Phillips, Rogers, Mellish, McDonald, Chase, Cooper, Smith and Kotua (2). Nepia converted three tries and Hemi one. Nepia also kicked a penalty goal and Chase potted a goal. For Western Penman and S. Templeman scored tries, Templeman converting one. Many New Zealanders in the West were disappointed by the display of the Maoris until the last half-hour, when they scored most of their tries. Western failed to score in the second spell.

The kicking was again weak, only easy goals being kicked.

Nepia was the most brilliant man on the field, filling the full-back position as well ae coming up into line and giving added strength to the attack. He consistently found the line 50 to 00 yards away. Harrison led the forwards splendidly, but was almost equalled by Piunell, the Western representative, while S. Templeman and 1. McKibbin gave Chase and Heini stern opposition. Maoris Two Down. Playing ragged football in the first hour the Maoris were at one time two points down and it was not until well into the second halt' that they showed any of the bright football they had previously displayed on the tour. The strong defence, and at times brilliant attack, of the local team in the first half appealed to the biggest crowd seen at the Bathurst football ground, and its handling on a soggy ground was'for a time better than that of the Maoris, who lacked combination and understanding.

The half-time score was 11—S in favour of the Maoris, but without the brilliant defence of Nepia, Western would have scored several tries. It was when one try was awarded without a Western man near the ball, when Chase fell on it a quarter of an hour after half-time, that the Maoris got into their stride. They showed more devil and the forwards in cohesion with the backs combined in concerted rushes, passing the ball from hand to hand. In dazzling back play they piled up score after score. Western's defence began to fade, only three or four coming up to standard. The Maoris scored six tries in the second half, against three in the first. In spite of the superiority in the latter part of the second spell the Maoris continued to lose the set scrums, although taking 70 per cent of the line-outs. Play was up and down field with dour rucking. The Western backs overshadowed the Maoris in handling until Chase potted a neat field coal. Then the Maoris opened up the game and the resistance crumpled before overwhelming forward rushes. Back movements, in which Nepia figured prominently by coming from full-back many times to give his wingers an overlap, proved superior to solid tackling.

EXCESSIVE TRAVELLING.

MANAGERS PRAISE CONDUCT. SYDNEY, July 31. A former New Zenlander, Mr. G. B. Pownall, the "Bathurst Times" critic, says that, in spite of the continued brilliance of the Maoris on ihe field, the whole team is tired out with rrfcessant travelling, totalling thousands of miles, in a short period. Although they make no protest, their health and fitness have been detrimentally affected. The managers emphasise that the team is the happiest and best behaved that over travelled. But it is obvious from their listlessncss when in private and their unusually quiet behaviour that they are feeling the effects of their strenuous itinerary. From the point of view of Australian Rugby, particularly in the country districts, the tour is proving most gratifying and beneficial. The tentative programme for the remainder of the Maoris' tour is: — Saturday, August :'..—v. Victoria, at Melbourne. Monday, August 5 (bank holiday).—v. New Soiilh Wales, at Sydney. Saturday. August 10.—V. New South A\ ales, at Sydney; leave for Auckland after the match. Saturday, August 17.—V. Auckland. Wednesday, August 21.—v. Wellington. Results of matches previously played by the Maoris:— .Tuly 10.—Beat Warwick, 32—10. July KS.—Lost to Queensland. 22 —19. July IT.—Beat Toowooinba, 33—13. July 20. —Beat Queensland, 15 — 18. July 24. —Beat Far West, N.S.W., SS —3. July 27.—Beat N.S.W., o—s.