W. Australia, Maoris in league final?

Press, 22 September 1977, Page 32

W. Australia, Maoris in league final?

! PA Hamilton I ; Western Australia looks likely to join New Zealand Maoris in the final of the Pacific Cup rugby-league championship at Carlaw Park, Auckland, next Tuesday. The Maoris have already clinched a place in the final to defend the cup by winning all three of their matches so far. But after two matches in the roundrobin series at Huntly yesterday, both Western Australia and Papua New Guinea are tied, with two wins each.

Papua New Guinea has played all four of its preliminary matches and takes it turn at the bye when the last round-robin games are played in Auckland on Saturday.

If Western Australia beats the Maoris on Saturday, it will qualify for the final. Even if it loses, it is still likely to qualify, having beaten Papua New Guinea, 33-19, when the two teams met at the start of the championship. The only way Papua New Guinea can make the final is if Western Australia loses and Victoria scores an upset win over Northern Territory on Saturday, as it did last week-end against Western Australia.

In that event, there would

be a three-way tie betweer Western Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Victoria. The rules allow for the winner from a three-way tie

to be decided on a points for-and-against basis. Thanks ito its handsome 42-12 win over Victoria yesterday Papua New Guinea would win that contest easily. In yesterday’s other match. Western Australia beat Northern Territory, 2316, in a close match marred by Northern Territory’s preoccupation with playing the man in the second half. The replacement prop, Brian Allia, was sent from the field by the Victorian referee (Mr John White), There were several other Northern Territory players lucky to stay on after punching incidents. Results:

Western Australia 23, (J Fielding 2. A. Dixon. 1 Walls, S. Bowler tries; R Rice 2 conversions and 2

penalty goals), Northern Territory 16 (A. Harrison. P. Mitchell, R. Walker, B. Dowie tries; I. Castillion a conversion and a penalty goal). Papua New Guinea 42 <A. Rero 5, O. Geno 2, J. Wagambie 2, V. Karava tries; P. Kombinari 5 conversions and a penalty goal). Victoria 12 (G. Hoyle, T. Wakefield, J. de Tournouer, W. Bayne tries).