RUGBY FOOTBALL

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3552, 19 October 1926, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL

MAORIS DEFEAT SOMERSET BY 21 POINTS TO 8. London, October 16. The Maori Rugby team defeated Somerset by 21 to) 8. The match was played in the presence of 8,000 spectators. The Maoris put up an impressive performance and won comfortably. They were especially dangerous in attack, owing to their superb speed and audacity. The Maoris dominated the firsti half, scoring spectacularly. Fahvasser soon came into prominence with a brilliant run, after which Potnka 'kicjked across for Phillips to pick up and run, Potaka adding a goal. Maoris 5, Somerset nil. Somei’set broke away quickly, and a successful bit of combination resulted in Clayton scoring, but the try was not converted. Maoris 5, Somerset 3. The Maoris, by a beautiful piece of combined work, in which seven handled the ball, enabled Phillips to cross the line again, for Potaka to convert. Maoris 10, Somerset 3. After this Barclay dribbled threequarters the length of the field, before picking the ball up, to cross the line for his fourteenth try of the tour. The half time scores were ■Maoris 18, Somerset 3. Somerset improved in the second spell, Partridge getting a try in the early portion of, the play, and Davies converting. Maoris 18, Somerset 8. _ An excellent passing bout resulted in Fahvasser increasnig the Maoris’ score by a try, which Potaka failed to convert, and the game ended Maoris 21, Somerset 8. Mete Mosesi was in the team that played Somerset. PESSIMISTIC .CRITICS CONFOUNDED. London, October 17. A football critic says: “After [heir victory against Somerset, one should hear less of the Maoris’ disappointing form in France, and more of their virtues as players of the open game. They can be proud of their success, because the AllBlacks in 1925, on a muddy ground, were glad to scrape home against Somerset by two tries to nil. The Maoris showed what their own erratic, brilliant, version of the Now Zealand style could accomplish.

The “Daily Mail” says “The Maoris are a most attractive team, full of individuality. They are enterprising and agile, rather than clever, and are erratic, but are sometimes geniuses. They are certain to improve every match. Their chief faults in the match against Somerset were indiscriminate passing and poor handling although they sometimes showed the cleverness of a cricket super-slip in clinging to a ball hurled at a speed approaching

flint of a rifle bullet, the team is filled with the joy of living, and immediately captured the spectators’ imagination with a wilder, weider war erv than the 1925 All Blacks.

ITaupnpa’s terrific, gesticulations, grimaces, rolling eyes, gnashing teeth, and obtrusive tongue, showed he is an excellent comedian. The crowd speedily nicknamed Potaka “Potato.” .

The “Daily News” says “The Maoris compare favourably with the 1925 team. The forwards are not so clever in footwork, but the team’s running, passing and cutting through is magnificent. They tackle effectively, without roughness. Gem-

niell’s position as rover during the scrums, is going to cause trouble, because he obstructs the opposing half.” ’