MAORI REPRESENTATIVES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 5 July 1923, Page 8

MAORI REPRESENTATIVES.

I MATCH AGAINST AUCKLAND. (BY TELKGRAx-H-^-PIiJiSS ASSOCIATION.) AUCKLAND, July 4. The Maori touring team, which ha* just visited Australia, played the Auck. land Rugby representatives to-day. The weather was bleak and threatening, with occasional very heavy showers The attendance was five thousand, including fifteen hundred schoolboys, who were admitted free. The ground was in a shocking state. Peina and Mill, ' two of the best of the Maoris' backs, wore unable to play owing to illness. Contrary to expectations Auckland won by eight points to three. Play opened sensationally with a strong Auckland attack, but the Maoris' defence was sound. Soon after the start the Maoris attempted to open up the game with their backs, but the heavy. ground handicapped them severely. In the second quarter Auckland againattacked strongly, and eventually Cooke scored, Ifwerson converting. The local team had the better of the remaining stages of the first spell, half-time corn" mg with the score: Auckland 5, Maoris Scrambling play in the slush marked the opening stages of the second spell. The Maoris then attacked, Bevan scoring near the posts. The kick was charged down. The Auckland pack was-now going well, but the return kicks of the Maoris were accurate. Auckland pressed and the Maoris forced. In the final quarter rain fell heavily, making the ground treacherous, and the ball was hard to handle. A' free kick to Auckland in the' visitors' twenty-five saw Ifwerson kick a great goal from a difficult angle. Stung to action, ' the Maoris attacked, and Gregory forced. The Maoris attacked hotly in the closing stages, but were unable to score, the game -ending: Auckland 8, Maoris 3. ,