MAORIS PLAY WELL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18096, 22 May 1922, Page 9

MAORIS PLAY WELL.

DEFEAT OF AUCKLAND.

28 POINTS TO EIGHTEEN.

FAST AND EXCITING GAME,

VISITORS SIIOW GREAT DASH

Tho Maori football team organised by the New Zealand Rugby League to visit Australia and play a series ot matches in the Commonwealth met and defeated the Auckland League representatives at Carlaw Park, on Saturday by 28 po:iuts to 18. Much interest was manifested in the game, and a crowd estimated at about 70u0 attended to witness it. the g;ite receipts totalling £297 2s 6d. Little was, known of the capabilities of tho Maori players, but a fairly strong side bad been chosen to represent the Auckland League, ami it was generally conceded that if the Maoris could bold' their own with the local combination they would havo every chance of putting up a good record in Australia. The result of the match leaves no doubt as to tho playing ability of tho team. It is a particularly well-balanced combination with, at present, no outstanding individualist. The inside backs arc remarkably good both in attack and defence, tho wing threerpiarters are tieot and hard to stop, and the forwards almost to a man co-operate with tho backs as if they bad been thoroughly accustomed to tho league game. Tha most noticeable weakness of the torn was a lack of knowledge of tho finer points of the game, including hooking, among the forwards. The outstanding strength of tho team was tho dash and pace of both forwards and backs in attack and defence. Their tackling was deadly, indeed, they made it part of their attacking game as they swnnrfed among tho Auckland backs when the latter had received tho ball from tho scrum. This feature of the Maoris' play was largely responsible for the success of the tern, and if it is carried into effect in Australia will assuredly pave the way to victory. Among the Maori players are a number who took the field against the Springboks last season and tho others are of equal calibre. In contrast to the well-balanced team cf the visitors, tho Auckland team appeared to be ragged, consequently its work was spasmodic, and its scoring efforts mainly the result of brilliant individual work. J. Lang was the. chief attacking force for. Auckland, and W. Davidson's brilliant work in defence at full back was a feature of the game, and saved his side from overwhelming defeat. There were others, of course, who played hard, but the two mentioned were the only ones to show high-class'international form.

The Tiret Spell. The Auckland backs, were tb* first to get coins, but J. Lane was well, tackled, and the Maoris set up a good xueh, Poison stemming the- tide. Smart passing by the Maori backs reached the Auckland twer.tyfive, but a good kick by Davidson sent the invaders back. The visitors were .again soon on the attack. Poison just stopping a dangerous rush on the line. A penalty against Auckland saw Dufty kick over the line, a force resulting. Shortly afterwards * j» passing bout by the Maoris resulted in Yates crossing the Auckland line to score the first try. Dufty failed with the kick: Macns, 3; Auckland, 0. • --,„,,, v n. Play hung in midfield for a time, both sides showing plenty of dash, the Maoris tackling being particularly good.. A long kick from a penalty sent the ball into touch near the Auckland line. Laing intercepted a, pass and broke away, supported by P-. Davidson. Paki tackled .the latter with the ball. And Dufty. with a timely kick, removed play to Auckland's twenty-five A good ■passing bout by the backs resulted in Morrison scoring behind the posts. Dufty cop▼erted: Maoris. 8; Auckland. 0. . Maintaining th* pace, tie Maoris kept ao the attack, their paw and sure tacklm* disorganising the Auckland bitcks for a. time. The local forwards hooked the ball in the scrums, but wpre unable to get going in concert. A penalty against Aucxland gave Dufty a shot at goal, which proved successful: Maoris, lO; Auckland, 0. t Auckland then took a hand, in attack G. Paki misfielded a ball, and W Davidson, accepting a pass, darted dov.-n the line and was sent out just at the corneT flag. Immediately afterwards J. Laag broke away and transferred to Gallagher. The latter inpassed to Lang when tackled, and the fiveeighth scored. W. Davidson converted: Maoris, 10; Auckland, 5. . ~.,,, , After give-and-take play in midfield X<ockwood intercepted an Auckland pas a and raced over the line. Dufty failed to convert: Maoris, 13; Auckland, 5. & good kick by W. Davidiwn placed Auckland on the attack, but a penalty kick drove them back. A Maori rush took play to the Auckland twenty-five, when? Yates, from a penalty, added a goal to the Maoris' score: Maoris, 15; Auckland, 5. , ~ . , , Keeping up the pressure the Maoris rushed the ball to the Auckland twenty-five. . A beautiful passing bout between B. Laing. J Lang, B. Davidson, and Wetherall, saw the latter take the final pass and' score behind the posts. W. Davidson converted just as the bell rang for half-time. Maoris" .. Jjf Auckland 10 Maoris Increase Lead. The first few scrums after . the interval saw the Maori forwards hooking the baa, but good tackling by the Auckland backs held them up. Gallagher, following along kick to the Maori fullback, almost scored, but a Maori rush removed play to midfield. Yates had * shot at goal from a penalty, but missed. A fine piece o:t .passing t»y the Maori backs looked.like ending vn a score, but B Davidson mtercepled a pass and k.cked well up the field. Hot work followed in midfield, neither side being able to get the backs going:, but the Maoris were showing the greater nippmess. and resource. The ball was worked to the Auckland twenty-five, and a great assault on the goal was well stopped by W Davidson, who got possesion and sent the ball into touch at the twenty-five flag. A .passing bout by the Maoris saw Morrison racing for 'tne .irae. but a hard tackle by W. Davidson sent him into touch. Play slowed! down for a time. Then W. Davidson earned appHuue for good work in stopping a couple of Mston rushes- the Maoris were penalised and w. Davidson had a fruitless shot at goal. Auckland were gettin? tne ball in the scrums, but the backs were unable to make m&ich uee of it, the tackling of the Maoris being _ «/• Duftr broke away, punted short and raced ior the ball, but Davidson sent the leather out near the line. A penalty for a breach in the scrum gave relief to Auckland. Yates came back with a dash, but was well-tackled by Wetherall. The, latter broke away and gave the ball to Gallagher, who wag brought down just past half-way. A fine passing run by the Maori ba-ks then ;ook the ball right down the field. Dufty getting the, final pass *"d scoring. The same player converted: Ma-,ri«. 20; Auckland. 10, Auckland worked the ball to the Maori twentv-five. where J. Lang, picking up in the loose, dodged hi* way through the Maori balks °nd .scored. t W. ,Dawd«ffl «!•£ to convert: Maoris. 20; Auckland, 13.. Immediately afterwards Lantr again electrified the crowd by threading his v,ny through most of the opposing backs. He tr-neferred to Gallagher, and the latter cro-s----kirked to Dtiane. who sent on to Poison, the latter scoring- W. Davidson kicked a sroa.. making the scores: Maoris. 20; Auckland, The Maoris retaliated with a sweeping rush which ended in Lockwond scormg. Dufty failed to convert: Maori*. 28: Auckland, 18. Another fa«t movement bv tre Moons immediately afterwards saw Whata Pick on in S- loo« and dash over. The same player added the goal points: Maoris. 28; Auck-

la plky 8 >iiinß in midfleld for the remaining few minutes of tho frame, which ended with tie »eorM: — Maori?. . . • • • * •- ?§ Auckland .. •- •• •• 18 JUNIOR GAMES. Second Grade.— Qity. 11 points, defeated Ihumata, 0. ~,..„ • i j r i j Third Grade:—Ellershe, 17 points, defeated City. 3; Kingsland. 6, defeated Point Chevalier 2- Athletic. 6, defea.ted Northeote. 3: Ponsonby 16. defeated Dcvonport. 2. Fourth Grnde—Eichmo;nd. 7 point*, de feated City. 5; Parnell. 24. defeated Newton. F ; fth Grade.—Richmond, 6 points defeated Northeote, 0: Manukau. 31 point*, defeated Devonnort. 0: Takapuna won from Manet Old Beys by defau't. . ' . , Sixth Grade— City. 14 POint<>. M defeated Ctahuhu. 0; Parnell. 21, defeated Northeote. ' Cadet Competition—22nd Company, 26 points, defeated 29th Company. 0. TAUMARUNUT MATCHES. [tr TELeCBAI'H.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] TAUMARUNUI. Saturday. The League football matches to-day relulted:— . .„ . . , . Senior Grade.—Tonganro. 18 points, beat Hauiroa, 5. points. Junior Grade.—Hauaroa.. 7 points, defeated Tonganro. 0. CAMBRIDGE PARK OPENED. TBT TELEGRAPH. —OWN . CORRESPONDENT.] CAMBRIDGE. Saturday The park to be used for League, matches was formally opened by the Mayor, Mr. b. Lewis, this afterT lo on. Tho Mayoress kicked off. and was presented with a gold football brooeh as a memento. The Leaeue matchea resulted:-- City Rovers b«at Athletics by 10 fc> 8, Suburbs beat Matangi by 5 to 3.