THE MAORI FOOTBALL TEAM.

Evening Star, Issue 7613, 16 May 1888, Page 2

THE MAORI FOOTBALL TEAM.

♦ [From Ouk Own Reporter.] WELLINGTON, May 16. The visit of the first football team from New Zealand to the Home Country is an event which is certain to be regarded with great interest by every colonist of both races, and the result of their doings in England is certain to be watched with eagerness equally keen to that which attended the matches played by the first Australian cricketers’ team. Having that idea in view, I to-day arranged for an interview with Mr J. Warbrick, promoter of the movement and coach of the team, who came to Wellington on Friday last for the purpose of playing for his province against Shaw and Shrewsbury’s footballers. He informed me that his arrangements are now complete, and that the following twenty are certain to be included in his team ; FULL-BACK. Gage (Wellington). TIIRBB-QDARTERS, J. Wa brick (Hawke's Bay) W. Wynyard (North Shore) L Lee (Riverton). HALVES. F. Warbrick (East Coast) Smiles (Hawke's Bay) J. Taiaroa (Hawke’s Bay) W. Warbrick (East Coast). FORWARDS. Ellison (Wellington) G. Wynyard (North Shore) Nehu (Auckland) Webster (Westpert) Anderson (Thames) Stewart (Thames) Arthur Warbrick (East Coast) » Alfred Warbrick (East Coast) Karauiia (Hawke’s Bay) Toare (Hawke’s Bay) Manaro (Auckland) Beni (Nelson). These are certain to go, and it is possible that two others will be included, making a total of twenty-two, Messrs Taiaroa, Nebu, Smiles, Karauria, Toare, and Reni are Maoris; the rest are halfcastes. With the exception of Gage and Ellison the whole of the men have been practising daily at Hastings for the last fortnight, and are in active training, going in for wrestling, boxing, running, and light exercise. Their average weight is 12st. Warbrick himself is the coach, and he is confident that they will be able to hold their own with any of our Rugby Unions. They are all fair tacklers, and their backs are said to be the strongest ever brought together in the colony. The opinion prevails that the forwards are weak, but Warbrick attributes this to the fact that most of the men are unknown outside of their own districts. Their first match will be played at Hawke’s Bay in the second week of Jnne, and they will then meet Auckland, Nelson (probably), Wellington, Canterbury, Timaru, Otago, and Southland, in that order, playing one match at each town. The team will leave the Blu|f for England via Melbourne about the end of July, and will play two matches a-week in the Old Country, where their stay will extend over five or six months. The tour is expected to cost L 5.000; and in order to meet preliminary expenses, the New Zealand Unions .are guaranteeing from 50 to 60 per cent, of the gate money. This should prove a satisfactory arrangement to the Unions in this colony, inasmuch as they guaranteed the Englishmen 80 per cent. Mr S. Sleigh, who went to Sydney with the New Zealand representative team (of which Joe Warbrick and Taiaroa were members) in 1884, is making all arrangements with the English Rugby Unions. The Mauri representatives expect to reach England about September 17, and will be piloted through Eugland by Mr J. Scot* 1 , of Gisborne, one of the promoters of the venture.