LEAGUE TOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22803, 10 August 1937, Page 11

LEAGUE TOUR

VISIT OF AUSTRALIANS ANOTHER MATCH TO-MORROW CONTEST AGAINST MAORIS NEPIA TO PLAY FULLBACK The touring Australian Rugby League team, which defeated New Zealand on Saturday, will meet a Dominion Maori representative team at .Carlaw Park to-morrow. This will be the first Maori League team to play an overseas combination in New. Zealand. The League codo has proved popular with the Maoris, and the team selected for to-morrow's match is expected to put up a very good display against the Australians.

The appearance of G. Nepia with the Maori team will be an added attraction, and he has only to play a good game to have claims for selection in the second test match on Saturday. It is interesting to note that six members of the New Zealand Maori Rugby Union combinatiqn which toured Australia in 1934 arc included to-morrow. In the forwards are some of the best players in the code, but the backs have not the experience of the visitors, who may prove too clever on a dry ground. Looking very fit, G. Nepia,. the Maori fullback, arrived by aeroplane yesterday afternoon from G'hristchurch, and wqs met at Mangere aerodrome by officials of the New Zealand Maori Board of Control. Reports from Christchurch state that Nepia showed good form in the three games he played there and that he is very keeri to play against the Australians. A party of the Australians visited Rotorua on Sunday, and, together with the players in Auckland, will attend a Maori dance this evening at Ngaruawahia. The tourists will -be received this afternoon by Princess Te Puoa at the Maori settlement at Ngaruawahia. Personnel of Teams The teams for to-morrow's match will be selected from the following:— NEW ZEALAND MAORIS Fullback. —G. Nepia. Threequarters. —J. Hemi, W. Broughton, R. Chase, Jv Rata, R. Wil- . son (two to be omitted). Five-eighths.—N. Bickerton, T. Chase. Halfback. —P. Mahima. Forwards. —J. Cootes, G. McLeod, L. Cootes, R. Brodrick, G. Mitchell, F. Pickrang, S. Watene, L. Tristram, iwo to be omitted. AUSTRALIA Fullback. —Whittle. Threequarters. Robison, Beaton, McKinuon, Reardon, Dawson (one to be omitted). Five-eighths.—Prigg, Norman (otia to be omitted). \ Halfback. —Thompson. \ Forwards. —Griffiths, Fairall, Heidke,% Collins, Pearce, Norval, McLennan, * Curran (two to be omitted). Several of the Maori players are suffering from minor injuries. There is a possibility that Prigg, the visitors' captain, will play in the five-eighths position instead of in the forwards. Mr. P. Rogers, of Auckland, has been appointed referee, and Messrs. T. Evans and 0. Chalmers linesmen. THE SECOND TEST

PLAYERS FOR TRAINING

With a view to selecting the team to represent New Zealand in the second test against Australia on Saturday the selectors, Messrs. A. T. McClymont, J. E. Amos and H. Avery, have announced the names of 11 players to report for training at the Auckland Gymnasium each evening. The names of several Maori players have been withheld until after the match to-morrow. The following players have been notified to attend: —W. Glover (Marist), C. Davison (Christcliurch), A. Kay (Ponsonbv), W. Tittleton (Richmond), B. Riley (Ponsonbv), N. Bickerton (Richmond), F. Halloran (Ponsonbv), W. Glynn (West Coast), J. Satherley (Richmond), A. Gault (Manukau), H. Tetley (Richmond). TRIP FOR TOTTEY 1 t; JOINED TEAM YESTERDAY F. Tottey, who was one of the first players selected to tour England and France with the Australian Rugby League team, arrived in Auckland yesterday by the Aorangi, and will join the team as one of the official party. Tottey had the misfortune to badly injure his ankle in a game at Grafton after the team for England had been selected. That he subsequently .failed to pass the medical test was a big disappointment to Tottey, but his inclusion is the result of the unanimous decision of all members of the Australian team : to defray the cost of his trip, tho initial cost of which is being advanced by Mr. H. Sunderland, one of the comanagers, who will be reimbursed by the players at the conclusion of the tour.

When seen on arrival yesterday, Tottey was full of appreciation of the gesture of his team-mates, and of Mr. Sunderland's initiative. It is not anticipated that Tottey will be a player on the tour, although he expects to be fit by November. Tottey, who is an ex-New Zealander, received his education at Hamilton,' and for the past two seasons has been one of the outstanding wing-threequarters in Sydney. COMPLIMENTARY DINNER POSSIBLE STEW ZEALAND TOUR The Australian team will tender a complimentary dinner to the - players of both the New Zealand and Maori teams* and officials of >the New Zealand Rugby League, at the Hotel Auckland to-morrow evening. It is understood that during the evening Mr. H. Sunderland, one of the co-managers of the Australians, will give an indication of the possibility of a New Zealand team visiting Australia next scroll.