N.S.W. REVENGED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 184, 6 August 1935, Page 15

N.S.W. REVENGED.

MAORIS BEATEN 20-13.

TWO TRIES THROWN AWAY.

XEPIA CAUGHT NAPPING.

SYDNEY, August 5,

Obviously tired by the strain of travelling and a' scries of hard matches, the Maori Rugby team was beaten by New South Wales by 20 points to 13, at the Sydney Cricket ground to-day. There was an attendance of 9128, according to official figures. The weather was fine but cold, but a high westerly wind which blew during the morning had died down.

Cerutti played his fiftieth match in Australia for New South Wales, equalling the late Freddy Woods' record.

The Maoris maintained their reputation as a sporting team as the result of their gallant efforts in the second half, which deserved a better fate. Their tackling improved, but it was never first-class, far too many attempts being made to collar round the neck, instead of putting the man out of action. The best forwards were Kawe, Cooper and K. Reedy, with H. Harrison again expert in the loose and the most skilled in the line-out. C. Smith was the outstanding back and Heihi was splendid, but the inside backs Licked the snap to give the heavy flank men their chance.

Nopia, winning the toss, elected to kick with the slight southerly wind. He took no advantage of the breeze in the first half, in which the Maoris were listless as compared with their previous displays, and obviously were feeling the effects of playing four matches in nine days.

In the opening exchanges there were half a dozen penalties, the New South Wales breakaways, Hodgson and Mackney, being offenders. The Maoris cut even in the scrums, but were overwhelmed in the line-outs, and their main weakness was round-the-ncck tackling.

The first try followed New South Wales gaining possession from a scrum in the Maori twenty-five, Gibbons beating Kotua and Broderick, and in-passing to Mackney, who crossed between the posts. Towers converting. Towers' Century. The second New South Wales try resulted from forward handling, Cerutti, Hodgson, Walden and Lehmann indulging in in-and-out passing in the face of weak tackling, and the last-named crossing near the corner. Towers again converted, and brought his aggregate points for New South Wales to 100. The only Maori score was a .penalty goal kicked by Herai from 60 yards out. A ruck shortly before the interval brought a fierce melee, the referee cautioning Hodgson, Mackney and Broderick. Mellish replaced Kotua, who had injured a knee. New South Wales led 10—3 at half-time. Recovery, Then Reverses. Within ten minutes of the resumption a startling transformation took place. The Maoris entered with renewed vigour into the already fierce struggle, the forwards packing better in the tight rucks and the inside backs handling more surely. (*. Harrison bullocked his way over near the posts and C. Smith fended past Hooton to score in the corner, Hemi converting both, and the Maoris led 13-j-10. _ For a period the play was inspiring, the Maoris using both flanks and endeavouring to outpace the opposition. The Maoris suffered a reverse when Hodgson, following a punt, surprised Nepia, who, sauntering back casually, was beaten by the bounce and was too late in diving over the line. Towers converted and New South Wales again led, 15—UThe Maoris looked like scoring, following a dribbling rush, but H. Harrison, leading Kawe, knocked on when Storey ■was well drawn. Hemi missed a penalty drop-kick within the twenty-five. Five minutes before time Cerutti crossed in the corner, fielding a high punt from Hodgson. The Maoris stood still as Cerutti raced for the ball, apparently thinking it had crossed the touch-line in the air. Towers converted, and the game ended: New South Wales 20 Maoris ; is THE FORM OF NEPIA. . (By Telegraph —Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, Monday. According to Mr. W. Baird, a member of the management committee of the Southland Rugby Union, who has just returned from Australia, Nepia should be on hie way to England with the All Blacks It is Mr. Baird's view that Nepia is playing football to-day . equally as brilliant as that which won him All Black honours ten years ago. Without him the Maoris would have been overwhelmed by New South Wales, and on his display m that match alone Mr. Baird considered a bad mistake has been made by the New Zealand selectors in not sending him to England. - T - throughout the game Nepia demonstrated his uncanny anticipation and his tackling was superb, declared Mr Baird. "On one occasion I saw mm bottle up two opponents when a try seemed a certainty, and he was as fit as a fiddle Aβ a full-back should, he took the ball on- the full every time,_ and he. was never once caught m possession. He, sained huge slices of territory with effortless kicks with either foot. There is no doubt fhat he would have been a wonderful draw in the Old Country. One had only to see the Australians' enthusiasm over him to realise that.