DARK FERNS ON TOUR

Evening Star, Issue 19409, 18 November 1926, Page 13

DARK FERNS ON TOUR

MIS IN FRANCE [By Moko Moko, 1926 All Black.] The Rhone flows into/the Gulf of Lyon by several mouths, and the district is called 41 Mouths of tho Rhone.* 5 Duo north from, these estuaries lies Avignon, on the junction of the Durance, which flows west from the country of the Lower Alps. Beautifully situated is this old city of the French popes, snuggling as it does north of the junction with the Rhone. We had little time for sight-seeing in this oldfashioned, historic city, which contains some sixty thousand people. The air of the place is a languid one, and the surroundings are typical of the south. In Rugby circles the Union is known as that of the Littoral or Coast. LITTORAL BEATEN. The Avignon ground was level, but very hard indeed. The sun was scorchingly hot, but was side on all through the game. The attendance was nine thousand. The Littoral side played an extremely determined game, and as the South grows them big we had our arms full very often. Indeed, the collaring on each side was a distinctive feature of the game. The refereeing was not up to date, and the muscular coast men took full advantage of the liberty to struggle when they were grassed M'Donald and Manning had to Gre hurt during the progress of the first spell, Phillips and J. Gemmell taking their places. Onr side was altered ‘rom that of the last game. M'Donald played full; Falwasser, Potaka, and Barclay three-quarters; ''ineera and Love fives; Shorthand half; Bell winger; the forwards running thus from the front row—Manning, Olson, Manihera, S. Gemmell, Haupapa, Robinson, Dennis. Our opponents played in white, so it was easy to distinguish the matched teams. —First Spell.—

Whites kicked off, and Shorthand took and sent Bell on, the latter being grassed. A loose rush followed, for four forwards were up in support, and Barclay received a pass but was tackled hard, and the White forwards came through with a good dribble, which Love checked. The scrum that resulted broke, and Robinson passed to Shortland. Love, Wineera, Potaka, the centre being bowled over, but from a scramble Bell secured # and reached the full-back, the winger’s punt being knocked on by Falwasser, who had com© up. But the attack reopened from the ruled scrum, and Olsen dribbled away to get a lucky bounce and to pass wide to Barclay on the wing. The captain beat three men and scored in fair position, but Potaka failed with the kick. Maoris 3. Their kick-off from halfway was disastrous to them, as Bell caught the placer and went through to pass to Barclay, Shortland receiving last and being pushed into touch-in-goal. In another moment the crowd cheered" as if the game, had been won, Barclay being ruled off-side, and Littoral landing a penalty from a very fine placer. Maoris, 3; Littoral, 3. Soon from a punt across-field Potaka, Bell, Haupapa, and Barclay handled, Barclay’s in-pass to Haupapa pulling up the movement with a scrum for forward ball. Shortland got the heel and ran around the blind to score a good try; which Potaka converted. Maoris, 8; Littoral 3 A dribbling rush by S. Gemmell, Robinson, Manning, and Dennis was checked by the Whites’ full-back after a good bit of fielding, but the forwards hustled him to kick wide, and Barclay took the ball at top to run around behind the posts. Potaka converted. Maoris, 13, Littoral 3. A high put from the Whites saw M'Donald misfielding, and their forwards getting to. our line, where a drive gave them a try which was converted. Maoris, 13, Littoral 8. „ .... . —Second Spgll.— Very determined midfield play marked the opening of this half, but the Maoris made play with plenty of dribbling, and at length Gemmell, Haupapa, Dennis, and Bell reached their tull-back, who repeated his weak kick, the ball striking Haupapa and shooting across to Barclay, who went across under the bar; Potaka added. Maoris, 18; Littoral, 8. The scrums were fairly numerous, and we got a good share of the ball. Shortland, Wineera, Love, Potaka, and Falwasser handled in the orthodox way from one of these whistled groupings, but Falwasser was pushed out near the corner. The line-out saw Dennis take very cleanly, and after a dash pass to his other back-row man, ■ Robinson, who went straight at their full-back. After fending off the last guardian, Robinson ran around behind the posts, and Potaka made it Maoris, 23; Littoral, 8. A free kick at about their forty saw the Whites’ kick land the ball into Wineera’s hands, the first five-eighths dashing on and passing to wing-for-ward Bell, Barclay receiving last to cross their line just at the corner. Potaka’s kick was just outside the posts. Maoris, 26; Littoral, 8. The last score of a game hard on anyone that reached the ground hurriedly came from a scrum feed to Shortland, who moved on and punted to Wineera to secure and to hand on to Potaka, and later to Falwasser, the lastnamed being tackled. The forward support was good, and Haupapa came in with a great take and dash for the ‘ line to score wide out. Potaka failed, and the game finished: Maoris, 29; Littoral, 8.