FOOTBALL

Otago Witness, Issue 3801, 18 January 1927, Page 53

FOOTBALL

RUGBY

THE MAORI TEAM.

By

Walter P. Carman.

The New Zealand Maori Rugby touring team has now completed its programme of matches in England and Wales, having during the past seven weeks played a series of 14 matches. The following table summarises the results of the games: —

Reviewing the matches as a whole, there is no doubt that the team played much better football in Britain than m France. There was better understanding amongst the players, and also between the two divisions. The defence improved greatly, this being especially noticeable as regards tacklirfg, while the line kicking was also sounder. The team’s most valuable asset was, without a doubt, speed. It was speed that enabled them to cover up their mistakes in passing, fielding, and tackling; it was speed that enabled them to overtake and haul down an opposing player when he had broken clear; it was speed that enabled them to back up continually on. attack and defence, and it was speed that enabled • them to exploit unorthodox The team, as a whole, has played bright, open Rugby in almost every game, throwing the ball about at all costs and keeping it in play whenever possible. This has been to their disadvantage at times, when for instance, they punted upfield, only to see the ball returned to touch well down the line by the opposing full back. lhe English press has not been slow in paying tribute to the “sporting” manner in which the Maoris have played the code, and I liave many times heard remarks during the matches eulogising their fine_ running and the evident pleasure they derive from playing. A journalist who is the Rugby critic for one of England’s leading newspapeis, and who has recently been delivering “radio” lectures on Rugby football, remarked to me during the matches that it was a pleasure to him merely to watch the Maoris running about the field. fie said that they were the prettiest runners he had seen, and he is a man who has travelled extensively. Among the backs the passing has been rather wild and reckless, and many good chances have been spoilt through a forward pass, a pass where, there was no supporter, a pass to a player in a worse position than the giver of the pass, a badly timed pass, or through a pass being intercepted. In .the / early games the handling broke down time and again at the inside backs, hung on too long and sometimes selfishly, the result being that the powerful wings, Phillips and Falwasser, were practically starved. Latterly the ball has been sent out at express speed to the wings, but this was going rather to the other extreme, these players being w*ell marked. The tackling by the New Zealanders in France was their great weakness, but this has distinctly improved. It is still inclined to be too high ' however, the game at Twickenham against Harlequins developing into a wrestling nutch. The punting of the Maoris was for a time very weak in comparison witl that of the English backs, but this also has improved both in respect of _ power anc direction. . -> The forwards have retamed the torn shown in France. In addition, they havs improved in two directions; first, in thei) - hand-to-hand passing, and, secondly, U their backing up of the rearguard. 1 he: have been fairly successful in the scrums and during the. last half dozen matche have obtained possession on more occasion than their opponents. Thev have beei overshadowed in the art of controlling th

ball at the toe. but it must be recognised that English forwards make a speciality of this branch of the game in preference to handling. The line-outs have not been very satisfactory. The players rarely took the ball cleanly, and when it was sent to the backs it was usually bv means of a wild knock behind with one hand. One branch of the line-out plav in which they have been more successful is in bursting through their opponents \ with the ball at toe. As regards backing up, I have already stated that this has shown distinct improvement. Since the backs have been making better use of the ball the forwards have given them, every chance, and the manner in which the two divisions have combined has been very fine. The forwards scored several tries as the result of this combination, notably at Blackheath, Leicester, and Manchester. On defence, too, they have worked very hard, and it was good to see such players as Rika and Dennis running back in the Blackheath match and going down on the ball when, during a Maori attack, Blackheath forwards broke clean away. In my opinion the Rugby, in Great Britain is mueh stronger than New Zealanders will credit. The strength-of the New Zealand sides is not so much that they adopt superior tactics, but that they take their Rugby much- more seriously both on and off the field. There is no doubt, however, that Rugby in New Zealand ismuch more interesting than oyer here, where the orthodox game is rarely de-, parted from. Many very fine-- Rugby players have been met during, the matches. Such players jis Hanley, of Devon, Voyce, of Gloucester; Greenlees, of Leicester, Sir T. G. Devitt, of Blackheath, V. Griffiths, of Nbwport, and Hubbard, of Harlequins,, were outstanding, and would be a credit to the best New Zealand side. The refereeing has nofebeen as good as it should have been inf-England. The only English referee who was really good was Mr Jackson, of Cambourne, who, strangely ' enough, refereed for the Maoris when they obtained their biggest victory and also when they suffered their worst defeat. He ref er reed in'the Somerset game and in * the' Devon game. The Welsh referees— Mr Vile, of Newport, Mr Freethy, of Neath, and Mr Llewellyn, of Bridgend—were very good. • One important aspect of the tour which must not be overlooked isf the social side. The hospitality accorded’ the team everywhere was simply wonderful, and, in fact, the management was forced at times to turn down numbers of suggestions for the entertainment of the party.. The Maoris, indeed, secured the love and respect of the people over here for their fine sport-

ing behaviour both on the field and off the field, and in that respect, if in no other, the tour can be said to be more than a success.

CHECKING TOUCH KICKING.

LONDON, January 14.

The Rugby Union has authorised a limited number of games for the purpose of testing the suggested law prohibiting touch kicking between the 25 yard lines before the union takes up the discussion. The Union has accepted thb Victorian Rugby Union’s affiliation. It is announced that the New South Wales fixtures will shortly be finalised. The international match against England has been fixed for January 7, 1928.

ENGLAND DEFEATS WALES. LONDON, January 15. England beat Wales at Rugby football by 11 to 9. Fifteen thousand Welsh people, including many women, attended the EnglandWales Rugby match, and passed the time till the commencement of play by singing lustily in Welsh. It is estimated that 50,000 were present, and many thousands were turned away. The latter made determined efforts to storm the gates, necessitating the presence of mounted police to restore order. Wales, after a shaky start, improved tremendously, but were unfortunate to lose Jones, who fractured a bone in his shoulder after play had been in progress 2S.ininutes, and the team had to continue with 14 men. The score at half time was 11 to 6in favour of England. Both sides played brilliantly, the game being fast throughout.

Pts. Pts P. W. L. D. for. agst. In England In Wales ... 10 5 4 1 87 87 ... 4 2 1 1 29 17 Total W. 14 7 5 2 116 104