WITH THE ENEMY OVERHEAD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 31 December 1940, Page 7

WITH THE ENEMY OVERHEAD

MAORIS PLAY RUGBY MATCH BOMB HELPS WINGER SCORE (From Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.) BRITAIN, 29th December. Spectators were discouraged at a Rugby match which the Maori Battalion’s second fifteen will not easily forget. It was Dlayed at Thames Side, on the coast. While play was in progress, as has frequently happened in our twice-weekly inter-unit competitions. enemy aircraft passed high overhead. A bright passing movement went smartly out to a Maori wing who set sail for the line. He fended off a forward, side-stepped an inside back, but then looked likely to be in trouble from the opposing wing and full-back until suddenly both stretched full-length on the ground. I Out of the corner of his eye the | runner saw others of the local team 'go similarly to earth, then his ear j caught the whistle of an approaching I bomb and he followed suit. The ; bomb burst a couple of fields away and the Maori boy, being slightly faster from a nrone start, is said to have been past the other two before they could touch him. ANOTHER N.Z.E.F. TEAM SOUNDLY BEATEN Another New Zealand army team lost to Gloucester 8-33. The New Zealanders played determinedly but never quite recovered from an inspired spell early when Gloucester built up a lead of eighteen points. The New Zealanders Brown and Locking participated in a lively tussle between the backs. MeKane and Brown scored tries for the New Zealanders and Erickson converted one.