Maoris show class in second half spree

Press, 25 October 1982, Page 26

Maoris show class in second half spree

NZPA staff correspondent Cardiff An amazing second half scoring spree of three tries in just five minutes carried the New Zealand Maoris to a confidence-boosting 17-10 victory over Cardiff in the first game of their tour of Wales at the weekend.

When lock Paul Tuoro crashed over the Cardiff line in the fifty-seventh minute, it seemed to release the Maoris from problems which had weighed heavily upon them. The problems had stemmed from the difficulty of winning lineout possession and matching Cardiff's scrummaging strength. A nervy and over-elaborate display by the backs had also played its part in the Maoris finishing the first half 0-6 down. The Maoris' coach. Percy Erceg. admitted after the game that he had been concerned about his team's performance in the first half.

"I thought then that we had been lucky they had not scored more points. Once we got the first try, however. I knew we would be okay," he said. The three tries, which dragged the Maoris out of a potentially tight spot, all revealed elements of class. They not only delighted the 17,000 crowd at the Cardiff Arms. Park, but also fulfilled a promise to move the ball freelv.

Tuoro's try was made by right winger, Robert Kururangi when he popped up on the end of a backline move on the left. Number eight. Carl Baker took over by driving diagonally back to the right hand corner, and when he was tackled by the •last line of defence, the 20stone Tuoro was on hand to drive over beneath several Cardiff defenders of considerably lesser bulk. There was only time for

the resumption of play and a scrum before captain. Paul Quinn, was over for the second try.

The Wellington speedster, Mike Clamp, was released down the left wing at about the half-way mark, beat his marker for pace and when he was taken by the cover, flanker, Frank Shelford. and second five eighths, Steve Pokere. provided the link for Quinn to dive over. The try was a fitting reward for the Wellingtonian, who had been an inspiration to his team throughout. The Maoris' third try yet again came just after a kickoff and a scrum later. Pokere was the instigator as he avoided the despairing dive of Welsh fly-half, Gareth Davies, before producing the perfect chip kick. Kururangi was first to the ball to score.

The tries, plus a conversion by Richard Dunn, carried the Maoris to a 17-6 lead and they then set about rebuilding the confidence and style which had earlier been close to deserting them. They had demonstrated flair as early as the fourth minute when full-back, Warren McLean, sparked a backline counter-attack from near his own line. However, the first half was overwhelmingly one of considerable frustration.

The Maoris lineout jumpers, especially Hud Rickit, at number five, and Carl Baker, at seven were severely outplayed and any loose ball near the back seemed to be inevitably gathered by the England

number eight and Cardiff captain. John Scott.

What ball was delivered to the Maori backs came from a static pack and the inside backs were placed under immediate pressure.

Eddie Dunn. Pokere and the centre. Arthur Stone, were all guilty as passes went astray under this pressure and Cardiff looked dangerous on three occasions when they toed through the loose ball. From one such rush after 19 minutes, Richard Dunn was caught off-side at a scrum and David Barry goaled the simple chance from 25 metres.

Before leaving the field with a shoulder injury, the same player gave Cardiff a 6-0 lead five minutes later after the Maoris had been penalised for a similar infringement.

The Maoris’ frustration grew as unforced errors and penalties ruined promising moves. A comment by Clamp to English referee, Frank Howard, typically lost the ground gained by a fine forward drive.

The same player had the Maoris in some trouble in the thirty-seventh minute when he ambitiously tried to run out of trouble and was caught. From the ensuing action, tempers boiled over and Quinn and Scott were called aside and spoken to by Mr Howard.

There were no problems in the second half and the Maoris had their first points soon after the restart. Richard Dunn goaled when Welsh half-back Terry Holmes was

caught off-side at a scrum. This boost provided the impetus for the Maoris’ hattrick of tries and their far more assertive and confident approach. The lineout improved sufficiently for the final count to be a narrow 14-13 advantage to Cardiff, but scrummaging remained a problem. Quinn later attributed the Cardiff superiority to their front rows’ habit of grabbing the Maori props’ jerseys before going down, thereby not allowing the tourists to settle.

The Maori backs, however, had begun to play with considerable imagination and Pokere appeared to set up their fourth try when he broke the Cardiff line after 36 minutes.

With just one player to beat, the Southlander opted to kick for the left corner to where Baker was storming up in near isolation. The kick came to ground over the tryline near Baker, but a bad bounce foiled him. It was Cardiff, which had begun to move the ball with some purpose late in the second half, and they had the final word.

A quick throw-in near halfway caught the Maoris napping and Holmes made ground before passing to hooker. Alan Phillips, who scored in the corner. The scorers were: New Zealand Maoris: Robert Kururangi, Paul Quinn and Paul Tuoro tries. Richard Dunn, a penalty and a conversion.

Cardiff: Alan Phillips a try. David Barry, two penalties.