NOTE OF THE DAY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 10489, 14 October 1926, Page 4

NOTE OF THE DAY

THE MAORI RUGBY- TOURISTS

It cannot be said that tlic Maori Rugby touring team lias had an exeeptionallv warm welcome by a section of the Homo press. _ In some quarters, rather harsh criticism has already appeared. The attack is, plainly, > based on -French criticism, which’, in short, displays disappointment in that the standard of the Maoris’ play has not come rip to that of the redoubtable All Blacks of 19242o It may. of course, turn out that the tourists may lose a number of matches in Britain. Such n, state of affairs, however, would not occasion

much surprise in this Dominion. The plain facts of the matter are that the team is not nearly as strong as could be selected to represent Maori rugby. In this regard, it is, perhaps, not realised at Home that, when the selection was made, the selectors had in mind’ to make the team representative of the Maori districts rather than to choose the strongest possible combination, irrespective of geographical considerations. What is, more, the arrangements for such an ambitious tour were made all too. hurriedly. If twelve months’ additional notice of the intended tour had been given, it is certain that a strongerteam w.ould have been got away. It is plain, .too, that the need that was felt'in Hawke’s Bay to keep tjie champion rugby team of this Dominion intact as far as possible kept back several players who would, have been a decided acquisition to tne visitors. in any event, it must be reckoned unfair to pre-judge the tourists. As far as the initial portion ol the tour is concerned, it' will be agreed that the Maoris did fairly well in a country in winch they had imposed on them conditions quite different from those to which they have been accustomed. With reference to the tour of Britain much will, of course, depend on how the Maori team fares in respect of health and freedom from further casualties. Already, after only a few matches, tne visitors, seemingly, have had more than a fair share" of mishaps on the playing field.