FIJIAN GAME

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 54, 25 August 1939, Page 5

FIJIAN GAME

VISITORS TOO GOOD

| The largest attendance of spectaj 'tors to witness"'a''football match at Rotorna sinccihe visit of the, Spring 'bole?'ln 1921 when they playetl. Bay of Plenty here watched the touring Fijian Rugby team defeat the Bay of Plenty 11-0, at Arawa Park on Wednesday in a fast, open game played in the best of spirit. Over 1000 paid for admission, the gate being £130. With school children prpbably about 2500 saw the game.

Patchy form was displayed by the visitors at the commencement of the match but as it progressed their com binatipn improved. From the commencement, however, it was obvious that they would win by a comfortable margin unless striking very bad luck, as the Bay team lacked cohesioil and combination-in'both back 1 ? and forwards.

"A iUpartment of the game iri which the Fijians excelled was that of kicking Til 'general and line kick-., ing in particular. They possessed a' heavy and energetic pack of forwards who were on top of the ball for the whole of the gaule_ and & particularly fast back line. Tliet Maoris have always been noted Ioi t their fast and open football but in this* case they were completely outclassed. The half back, : A. Koroma, and the two wings ? atyl I. Nagatalevu were ~ Exceptionally fast runners and. clean handlers. The handling of the team as a whole however, w r as exemplary, their passing rushes drawing shouts of approbation from the spectators. FIJIAN SCRUM TACTICS, i In the Bay pack, perhaps the outstanding man was T. Whiteley of. Rangitaiki ? ably assisted by Murray of Tauranga, and Aratema of Rotorua. The Bay pack was able a number of times to hold the Fijians, hut they were definitely inferior to the visitors in the loose. game. B. Jacobs played an excellent game in the position of and Ahipene acquitted himself well at the base- of the scrum. Owing to the Fijian adoption of the 2-3.2 scrum with a wing forward, however, Ahipene was giv'en little opportunity to do much with the ball himself. The Fijian breakaways were fast fn leaving the scrum, and were also assisted by the loose forward the three

of them combining to give Ahipene an uncomfortable time.

In the opening stages., of the-game play was fairly even, but as the visitors warmed up, they improved out of recognition in the second spell, practically dominating play in all departments. They were at a decided disadvantage in striking weather conditions as there were several players sulfering from cramp, caused by unaccustomed cold in the course " of the match. Playing for the first time outside their own country, too, most of them felt distinctly nervous at. the commencement but were consid

erably heartened by Support from, the large section of the spectators who barracked for them.