Maoris close to win

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33963, 2 October 1975, Page 16

Maoris close to win

(By

JOHN COFFEY)

Only a misdirected ■pass a few minutes from [full-time prevented the Canterbury Maoris Rugby league team from completing what would have been a most unexpected victory over the Pakehas at the Show Grounds last even-; ing.

The Maori, stand-off half, Charlie Smith, just failed to pass the ball back over his [head to two team-mates who [were unmarked in centre--1 field when the Pakehas were desperately clinging to a 24-23 advantage. This reprieve enabled the Pakehas to work their way back on to attack and the surging second-row forward, Rex Dalzell, claimed his second try, to give, with Lewis Hudson’s conversion, the Pakehas a face-saving 29-23 win and retention of the Bob Pomare Trophy. Mr Gary Clarke, the Pakeha and Canterbury coach, could have gained only one consolation from the

match. With Canterbury due; to meet Auckland in the) Rothmans championship final, at Carlaw Park next Tuesday night, Mr Clarke can at least be satified that his four Maori representatives — Stewart Hogg. Mutu Stone, Jack Clarke and Gary Taie—are primed for action.

Hogg, with his powerful [running from the rucks and (ability in setting up his fellow forwards, and the indefatigable Stone, ever backing up and a relentless tackler, were outstanding. Their example: prompted Kip Winika and; Bill Morrison to make valuable contributions, and Winika showed incredible: pace for a man of his size. In the centres. Clarke and Taie had the better of Leon Paskell and Francis Lawrence. They were far more proficient in releasing the ball after having created the halfgaps in the Pakeha defence, and both were decisively stronger than Lawrence in their tackling. Lawrence’s display was well below that required for an encounter with Auckland. The Maori backs also re-

iceived notable service from; [the scrum-half. Charlie PakiJ [while Brian Heemi moved positively on the wing until he was injured in trying to halt an even harder runner, Mocky Brereton, whc was a half-time replacement for the Pakehas. Had it not been for Dale Brown’s 25-11 scrummaging dominance, and a series of; lost chances bv the Maorisl when within range of the tryline, the Pakehas Would ce'r-[ tainly have been beaten. 1 [Their major assets were the -mobility of Dalzell and Mark [Broadhurst, the sometimes [constructive sorties of Mark l [Fuller, the elusiveness of [Graeme Cooksley and Wally Wilson. and Brereton’s strength when given possession.

Dalzell (two), Wilson (two), Cooksley, Brown, and Andrew Bailey scored tries for the Pakehas, and Hudson kicked four goals. The Maori tries went to Stone (two), Winika. Tai Mene, and Robert Auimatagi, with Clarke adding four soais.