Maori league walk-over

Press, 19 September 1977, Page 3

Maori league walk-over

PA Hamilton New Zealand Maoris made a farce of the Pacific Cup rugby-league championships at Tokoroa yesterday, running in 18 tries to overwhelm Victoria, 78-0. The Maoris treated the game as a training romp after racing to a 41-0 halftime lead and running riot through weak Victorian tackling. Murray Netzler won most of the scrum for the Maoris.

The centre, Pesa Sua, and the winger, James Leuluai, were outstanding for the Maoris, showing brilliant footwork and much pace. Leulauai finished the game with five tries and Sua, who set up many of them, scored I three.

The Maori forwards were in devastating form, with Eddie Orchard outstanding at prop, the second-rower, Josh Liavaa, again in good form, and the loose-forward, lan Bell, enjoying a free-run-ning game. Liavaa and Bell scored three tries each.

Taking over the fullback role from Reg Tamihere, the prop-forward, John Wilson, also had a fine game, scoring a personal tally of 24 points, all from conversions.

In another match, Papua New Guinea was a popular victor with the local crowd, beating Northern Territory, 25-14, after trailing for most of the first half. Papua New Guinea led, 10-8, at halftime.

The New' Guineans outclassed and outpaced the Australians in the second half. The star of the match was their winger, Alan Rero, who scored three tries.

On Saturday, the Maoris had to struggle hard to beat a spirited Papua New Guinea, 25-17. Fighting a bitterly cold wind in the second half, the Maoris came from behind to gain control in the last

20min. But it was not an impressive display by the Maoris and, at times, Papua New Guinea showed more class with dashing running, particularly from the scrumhalf, Steve Malum, who scored three tries. A total. of 26 penalties was handed out, favouring the visitors 14/12, while scrums were won by the Maoris, 12/11. Tn an earlier game, Victoria beat Western Aus

tralia, 14-10. Scorers: New Zealand Maoris 78 (J. Leuluai 5, P. Sua 3, J. Liavaa 3, I. Bell 3, N. Rollo 2, M. Netzler, L. Key tries; J. Wilson 12 conversions), Victoria nil. Papua New Guinea 25 (A. Rero 3, G. Kora, O. Geno tries; P. Kombinari 4 penalty goals and a conversion), Northern Territory 14 (P. Mitchell, B. Dowie, W. Elliott, N. Caswell tries) L. Castillion a penalty goal).

New Zealand Maoris 25 (W. Rangi, T. Toloa, M. Aspin, D. Key, D. Uluave tries; R. Tamihere 3 penalties and 2 conversions), Papua New Guinea 17 (S. Malum 3 tries; P. Kombinari a penalty and three conversions). Victoria 4 (M. Hall, J. Watts tries; T. Wakefield 2 penalties and 2 conversions), Western Australia 10 (J. Fielding, A. Mitchell tries; R. Rice 2 penalties).