HURRICANE RUGBY

Northern Advocate, 25 July 1935, Page 7

HURRICANE RUGBY

MAORI TEAM FAR WEST VANQUISHED. THIRTY-EIGHT TO THREE; (United Press Association —By Electric . Telegraph. — Copyright .l (Received 9 a.m.) SYDNEY, July 24. The Maori Rugby team today de■‘feated a Far West fifteen at Dubbo by 38 points to 3. Without taking their opponents cheaply, the Maoris adopted an unorthodox style and threw the ball about in dangerously reckless fashion to thrill 2000 spectators on the show ground. The game was begun at hurricane speed, and although the Maoris lost the majority of the set scrums their perfect handling and the uncanny anticipation of all the players, especially Ngaio, Mellish, Harrison and Nepia, enabled them to whip the ball across the field and back in dazzling movements.

Play took place on grass sand, and a blinding dust was raised by a slight wind. Although the score mounted steadily, the Fat West players provided stern resistance and were dangerous during many periods in the first spell, when territorially the game was even. In spite of the thrusting backs, Far West lacked understanding and the side’s only points came from a penality goal kicked by E. Lay in the first spell. After half-time the Maoris adopted even more exciting tactics, the ball darting from hand to hand, whether on their own igoal line or within an inch of scoring. The Western people, who were having their first taste of international football, showed their appreciation and admiration more by. gasps of amazement than their vociferjous cheers.

Poor Goal Kicking.

A disappointing feature of the play wri c the inability of the Maoris to hook from the set scrums, but their tactics were so unorthodox and yet so pleasing that they generally capital from their own failings. Their line kicking was of high order, but their goal kicks were poor, Hemi converting only two of nine tries scored. The teams were. —

Maoris: Nepia, Hemi, Phillips, Ngaio, Chase, J. Reedy, Mellish, Kershaw, Mitchell, K. Reedy, Cooper, Kawe, Parata, G. Harrison and Broderick. Par West: Ryan, J. Whale, Hickey, Osborne, V. Whale, E. Lay, Wheeler, Kierath, L. Lay, Kelly, Booth, Anderson, Bright, Masterton and Keane. During play Bright and Keane went off with cut eyes and were replaced by J. Ryan. The scorers for the Maoris were: —• J. Reedy, Harrison, Nepia, Mellish, Ngaio, Broderick and Phillips, one try each, and Cooper, two tries.

Ngaio hurt a knee, and although he played on he will need a rest. He played brilliantly.

DUST DETRIMENT

CONDITION NOT RELISHED

PRESS REVIEWS

(Received 10.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day.

Commenting cm the Dubbo match, which the Maoris won 38—3, the “Sydney Morning Herald” says; “Playing on-loose, red soil was an experience which the Maoris did not relish.. . They, complained at halftime that, clouds of dust which rose in the scrum so obscured the vision as to affect the form of . their hooker, Mitchell. The Maoris, however, became used to the conditions and in the second spell they were not greatly troubled. In rather a rugged game with hard tackling, the Maoris did net produce the brilliant, open play expected of them.- . Nevertheless, they scored 10 tries, while their opponents failed to gain one. 1 ’

Stuart Perkins, in the “Daily Telegraph,” s'ates: “The tourists were perceptibly upset by the state of the ground, but when an allowance is made for the strange conditions the Maoris’ showing was pleasing enough, and they now come on to Sydney for their match against New South Wales full of confidence,”