DARK FERNS ON TOUR

Evening Star, Issue 19437, 21 December 1926, Page 10

DARK FERNS ON TOUR

MAORIS IN WALES [By Moko Moko, 1920 All Black.] Wo were Honored by being presented to Jtlis Royal Highness the Duke of fork. Newport station was eu fete when the Maori touring team was accorded the privilege of being received by this extremely popular son of His Majesty the King, the saloon carriage being the focus of all eyes as the Mayor of Newport Jed into the presence Messrs Batata, Harris, Barclay, 8011, Haupupa,. S. Gemmell, and Mnhr, tlie last 'gentleman representing the French ilngby Union. Manager Barata had the additional honor of a conversation with the Duke, who was very eager to know all about the Maoris of the most southerly dominion of The Empire, We then travelled on the same train to Swansea. MAORIS 11, v. SWANSEA 6. Swansea converted two penalties; the Maoris scored two tries, one converted, and kicked a penalty goal. The match was played in tine weather; the ground was good. It was a fairly .big crowd that welcomed our haka—2s,ooo —and we felt after the Newport game that wo were in for hard times from these sturdy, hard-as-nails Welshmen. Swansea obtained all the ball from the scrums and therefore did most of the attacking, but the Maoris’ collaring and general defence proved to be excellent, and they could not cross our line. The whistle was frequent—all too frequent to have anything other than scrums the feature of the game. It was rather a disappointing display, and to us it was very distressing to have so little ball to do any attacking with. Wo have only one hooker at present, as Gemmell and Olsen are laid aside with injuries. The game was very strenuous, and was hard-fought right through. Each side kept going until the last' of many whistles sounded. The forwards seemed to bo very evenly matched, but our backs were evidently superior. You cannot attack without the ball, and we could not get it from the scrums. Our first try came half-way through the first spell. Our forwards had bustled through to the Swansea twenty-five, where a ruck sent a well-timed lieel to Kingi, who cut in very smartly and, when his man was beaten, at once ran wide and inpassed to first five-eighths Bell, who had gone straight aheiuh Bell scored beside the posts with a lightning dash and Potnka added the couple of points. Shortly afterwards Swansea landed a penalty, and the half-time saw the score unchanged at Maoris 5, Swansea 3. Down on our lino came the Whites, and we had a torrid time with the numerous scrums with no ball for us and heaps for them, but they were at last driven back, the forwards shortpassing and dribbling to the Swansea twenty-five, .where, right on the sido line, the Welshmen were penalised for anticipation. Potaka then kicked a pearl of a goal, the ball striking the upright and bouncing over the bar. Maoris 8, Swansea 3. This lead was not maintained very long, and Swansea landed a good goal from a penalty. Maoris 8, Swansea 6. Up and down went the hall_ in rival attacks, each sido in turn going close to scoring. Time was getting near and we had run into attack with a high punt, when their full-back cleared just a hit short, and onr full-back, Pelham, came up well with his takc-on-the-run and short-punted over the oncomers’ heads. Ho followed through to the gap in the field and snapped up the ball; then he raced hard for the corner and scored a great try, Maoris 11, Swansea C was the last change made in the score, and we had won a hard game with no try 'against ns, while their hacks had had tho.paddock almost to themselves whenever,' 1 a set scrum was made.