First Tahiti Soccer Club To Make Visit

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32145, 14 November 1969, Page 11

First Tahiti Soccer Club To Make Visit

“The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND. The first visit to New Zealand by a Tahitian football club will take place next month when the national champion, Fei Pi, will play two matches in Auckland, against Courier Rangers and a Ponsonby invitation team.

Arrangements for the eightday visit by Fei Pi were completed earlier this week in Auckland between the honorary president of the Tahi- ] tian club, Mr Frantz Vanizette, and Mr E. H. Ebsworth (Ponsonby) and Mr L. Simpson (Courier Rangers). Fei Pi will play Courier at Seaside Park, Otahuhu, on Wednesday, December 10, and the Ponsonby XI at a venue yet to be fixed on Sunday, December 14. Fei Pi is the oldest established soccer club in Tahiti, being formed in 1923. Since 1948 Fei Pi has won the Tahitian championship six times and the Tahitian Cup 11 times. Included in the 15 touring players of the club will be six Tahitian internationals. A former Fei Pi player, the inside forward Temari Coco, played for the full French national team. Mr Vanizette, who played as a wing-half for Fei Pi for 12 years, is a member of the

Tahitian Parliament and] director of the Government-! controlled Social Security| Corporation in Tahiti.

He made a special trip to] New Zealand to complete: arrangements for the visit by ] his club after going to Sydney] for the wedding of his daugh- i ter.