MAORIS TRIUMPH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 190, 12 August 1937, Page 26

MAORIS TRIUMPH.

KANGAROOS DEFEATED

PLETHORA OF PENALTIES.

LEAGUE GAME.

Great is the mana of George Nepia. ' From the moment that he took the fie"d I at Carlaw Park yesterday to play for the New Zealand representative Maori team , against the touring Australian team he ' was the idol of the crowd, and he went on to give one of his beet games of his long and spectacular career. In fielding the ball or in defence Nepia was never at fault, his kicking carried a wonderful length, his positional play was always good and his tackling was infallible. His contribution to the -Maori victory was ! four penalty goals, two being very fine conversions from wide angles near the | end of the game. In only one respect is he not the great player of other daysdash and pace were absent: otherwise the years have dealt kindly with him to leave Nepia in the early thirties still a great player.

Of the other 25 players who took part in the match some maintained their playing reputations, and others did not. It was an extremely hard-fought game, fast all the way, but itespite good playing conditions the game did not in general rise to supreme heights. After their thrust.ful play and speedy combination of the opening match hist Saturday the Australians were distinctly disappointing, and i there was a lack of finish about their work. In many instances promising attacking broke down hopelessly, and so much so that any chance of an Australian victory eventually vanished, and true, the Australians put practically their second thirteen into the field for the occasion, and as the game went on they were nonplussed and upset by the extraordinary sequence of penalties given against them. Forty-six free kicks were awarded in the match. Forty were against Australia. Robust Methods. The better team won, and that was duomore to the robust methods of the Maori players and the fiery and deadly way in which some of them tackled all the way and all the day. In the early part of the game the Australians got continual possession from the set scrums and the 'ball was thrown about in a very attractive manner at times. On rare occasions only did the Maoris carry the set scrums and when the ball was got away the New Zealand inaide backs .showed no special facility at breaking through a. clever covering defence. In nearly every instance it was "by turning Australian faults to advantage that the Maori side made headway; that, plus the heavy list of forty penalties that were debited against the visitors. Only three tries were recorded during the day, one to Australia by a beautiful concerted bit of play by three of their forwards, Heidke, Collins and Curran, and two to the home side. R. Chase got over from a rapid short-passing run, while | Brodrick got the try of the game as the ! outcome of a bit of whirlwind play "that completely upset Australian plans and I calculations. A collective thrust was made at the visitors' try line near the left coiner and then the play- fanned across the Australian twenty-five. Play was.' rapidly swinging to the opposite side of | the field when J. Cootes suddenly reversed the scheme of things by throwing the ball far and wide to the left. It fell in space with all the Australian defence out of position. And then Brodrick flashed :nto the picture in truly opportunist way to go over and score. Good Half-back Play. Mahima played resolutely at half-back with clever variation of tactics, and on his showing is the best half-back in the code in New Zealand at the moment. R. Chase was the most impressive of the five-eighth line, while Rata fully justified his inclusion in the three-quarter line. Hemi's injured leg put him out of action early in the game, and from that point he could give no real service to his side. One could not praise the Maori forwards beyond their deserts. Brodrick gave a magnificent exhibition, form that was in keeping with what he showed in Australia two seasons ago. when he was hailed as one of the greatest forwards New Zealand has produced W.itenc's fine all-round play and splendid tackling was one of the features of the game, while McLeod, who took on the onerous task of hooker for the occasion, in the absence of a specialist for the position, got quite a fair share of the ball in the second half. •T. Cootes was iniured late in the game and had to go off. He had taken a fair share of the burden of the hard day. The Australian backs revealed a weakness in attack. Thompson did not rise to international class at half-back, while the playing of Prigg, the Australian captain and forward, at 6tand-off half, did not lead to happy results. He could not get -ff the mark in the split-second way that Norman does, and was obviously right out if hie element. There were occasional flashes of brightness by McKinnon in the centre, while Dawson gave a brilliant exposition of attacking play at wing threequarter. At full-back Beaton took all the honours with clever constructive plav. and a rare ability to pet his oo'leagnes into better "osition. Often Beaton turned shadow into sunshine for Australia, but too often thev failed to finish what he sorted so well. Yet. prohnblv he wouM have s"rved A"«itralia much better in the threeouarter line. The Australian forwards wprp fact, and •-.lfiverl a fiery trame. with H°'dke. Fairall n"<l Ci'Tdn alwavs prominent. The final scores were: — New Zealand Maoris 16 Australia 5 R. Chase and Brodrick scored tries Hemi converted one, and Nepia kicked four penalty goals. Curran scored for Australia and Beaton converted.