MAORI FOOTBALLERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19455, 11 October 1926, Page 12

MAORI FOOTBALLERS.

THE TOUR IN FRANCE. EVE OF INTERNATIONAL GAME. Australian and I\.Z. Cable Association. (Rccrl. 5.5 p.m.) PARIS, Oct. S The Maori Rugby footballers arrived in Pavis to-day, -with the exception ol S. Gemmell. who is at. present, undergoing treatment, in hospital. The team will place a wreath, .on the grave of the unkno.wn warrior..,to-morrow. In an interview Barclay said the players were clpiightcd with their tour of France, but their only stiff match had been al Narbonue. The Maoris are to play an international game on Sunday. The Paris fifteen will be: Poilo, Houdct, Gerald, Lousteau, Besson, Dumanpi, .Durand, Loury, Laffont, Couture, Bergougnoux, Hutin Lauga and Gonnet. , Although the Maoris, have not yet been beaten the French press confidently predicts a victory for the Paris team. Some of the critics assert that the Maoris' Rugby is poor and unintelligent and that any representative French team could beat them easily. One writer says :"The Maoris obey their captain like sheep. Often they absolutely surprise themselves at the success of their movements." •* - • ! '■