COLOURFUL LEAGUE GAME.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 131, 6 June 1939, Page 15

COLOURFUL LEAGUE GAME.

MAORIS WIN.

FOUR POINTS' MARGIN. NEPIA BACK TO FORM. CHASE OUTSTANDING WINGER. I'.ilonrfu! mid chanceful play in a match of 11'iiiiii kable fluctuations marked the roprencnt.it ive game at C'arlaw Park yesterday between Auckland representatives un<l the .Mauri team, the Maoris winning by 111 points to Ij. In the first half th« Maoris held a decided advantage. Auckland rallied in a remarkable way in the second half, but near the end the .Maoris demonstrated their superiority. It was an exceptionally bright game; both teams threw the hall about with the utmost, freedom, ami there were glimpses of brilliant inter-play and combination.

Pbiyed at high speed nil the way the milium of error did occasionally creep in, but the best play was of a very high order, and a.s an exposition of a code that is essentially a handling one, the game whs the best that has been played in Auckland this season.

Jn view of the fact that a team will be jiicked later in the season to tour KngInnd and France, the form of players was followed with interest and there way sufficient to indicate that Auckland has some strong claimants for a place in the national side, even allowing for the fact that the Auckland representative team of yesterday was not based on the full choice of all the Auckland tsenior team*, and that a blend of youth had been added with a view to giving youne, players a try-out.

Heavy Forwards. Fielding a very heavy puck tlio Maoris had a. set scrummage advantage and altluMJtili tlio work of the Auckland hacks was generally smoother than that of thoir opponents, the Maori backs countered by unorthodox play ami surprise taction which their opponents found very disconcerting.

Full-back Problems. Roth Xepia and V. Scott, the opposing fiill-bii'-ks. gave outstanding displays. Both fielded Well, both kicked witli good range and direction; neither faltered in defi hit. The veteran Xoipia brought the cxp'-i ionii" of many years into hi* caino, .md S-ott showed the ypeod and facility to tret position that one expects of a younger in in. In view of the srent form shown in cliil. matches by .1. Smith, the selectors will have a pretty problem to decide which hi the best.

If thorp «as doubt n« to which was the bettor full-back tlio question which was the host wing tin 00-quartor was answered liy T. Chase. Mamik.iii player, who outstfurcd the others, even although Nurse

and Mclnnarnoy snowed flashes of brilliancy, iind Tukere, the SouLli Auckland wing, played to form. Heini and Hiley both played good games in the centre berth, but Henii is a better full-back than a three-quarter. Riley was certainly wrongly placed at centre. Inside Backs. Rata and Donaldson, the former running delightfully straight, and the latter showing all-round skill, (Oive the Maori team the in ore impressive rive-eighth line, iiH Banhaiu .-still has some distance to go before he works up to his great form of last season, and Kay, probably Auckland's best centre three-quarter, was not too happily placet! Nt rive-eighth. Tiiehali-i.ack play of Ik»Ui Sterling and Mahhiiu was on .sound line*, and both were good at getting the ball away. There wan one surprise in the forward play. Not only did Hapeta give the Maori team great service a.s rake, but he was consistently conspicuous in the open play. Other good forwards were Kirinui and Mataira. Brodrick, Petersen and Gunning were great in the loose play, and tine (lames wove played by Shadbolt and Herring. In general the forward play was even, dashing and good, and the forwards were not eo prone to error as the backs. One of the outstanding contributions of the match was a penalty goal by Henii from beyond half-way. When success was flagged the- spectators gave him an ovation. For the Maori tram tries were scored by Brodrick and Hemi (2). Henii kicked a penalty goal. Donaldson kieked_ two penalty goal*, and converted two tries. For Auckland Banhaiu, Nurese and M<lnnnrney scored tries. Hen-ing and Scott each converted one, the latter also kicking a penalty goal.

RICHMOND IMPROVE

DEFEAT OF MARIST. Showing greatly Improved form Richmond defeated Mnrlst by a margin of 14 points in a game that was open and marked by some good combined back play. Marist piiiycd most of their backs out of position fur" the occasion, an arrangement that saw Chalmers at full-back, Mldgeley as the centre three-quarters, and Haslam and (JliiviT in the five-eighths line, a shuffle which gave Marist (treat defensive strength in their intermediate lino. Yet, the Richmond play was Rood nnouxh to break the defensive barrier that appeared to be concentrated on Solomon, and at times the Richmond attack flowed in a rhythmical and impressive way. Solomon's constructive play was admirable, and in contrast to his sti'iidintvxs was the brilliance of Graham us liis partner, the latter easily the most impressive of the younger inside backs this s<>a.-nn. There is still room for advance in Graham's play, but there is a oMerlty about it whicli suggests great possibilities. Generally the Richmond back play was sound, with Bra in ley giving a remarkably good display at full-buck. Me I. pod was an outstanding forward for Richmond. Solidity was the key-note of the Marist forward play, with Anderson particularly good in loose piny. Fur Richmond tries were scored by Tittletiin, Davis, Method, Graham and Solomon, and Hadley and Bramley converting three. Matthews and R. Grotto scored tries for Marist. Anderson converting one, and kicking a penalty goal.