Wellington v. Maoris.

NZ Truth, Issue 266, 30 July 1910, Page 3

Wellington v. Maoris.

The Maori team, fresh from their victory over the Otago team, tackled the Wellington team on the 20th at the Athletic (Park arid mighty nearly added another wm to their 'little list. At the same time, they showed the pubiie a real good game of high-class Rugby, firee from anything like- roughjness and foul play, I* spite of-'the'' forwards' great size and strength. The only score m the first apeW was a penalty goal kicked by Kin- r Vig, althcaghi (the Maoris, attacking m their turn, had real hard luck m not scoring oil more, than one occasion. Take'rangi lost a certain try. by tripping hims^| right-on the goal line (I think he ■steal dead, beat and couldn't, finish). Kaip&r^ narrowly missed scoring, and, altomtiier, the Wellington luck was m. Hall vmSk a brilliant attempt at goal, the bill striking the bar and falling back into plar. At the beginning of the second

•peH it looked a guinea to a gooseberry oa Utc Maoris, who (quickly rattled up eight points, thus gaining a lead of five, and) as tfeey were continually attacking,. WWlington supporters looked' very blue. Hall gained a fine try, and converted it amd--'WOTbnck heaved himself over the line on, another, occasion and took three more , points. It was not until very near the end of the: game that Wellington had a turn' at .attacking, and $o well, did TUyaid, Ryan and Dawson do their work *hat the last-named scored m a good posttfon. KSnvig added the extra points, and the game was 8 all. There was no more scoring on either side. -

; Taking the game all round, one is inclined to think that the Maoris were oakicky not to win. Their forwards played : a fins game, but were not so active as > their opponents, nor were they as successful m securing the ball from the ■cram.

The Wellington team, m the absence of Retorts, Mrtchinson, . Evensen and "Ranjp?' Wilson, 'did very well to make a) 4taw with their bigger and more powerful opponents.