RUGBY FOOTBALL

Southland Times, Issue 19986, 28 September 1926, Page 7

RUGBY FOOTBALL

THE MAORI TEAM LYONS DEFEATED BY 17 TO 3 WARM PRAISE FOR BELL. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) London, September 27. The Maori Rugby team 17 points (five tries, one converted) defeated Lyons, three (one try). The Maoris were hard put to maintain their unbeaten record. Until half-way through the second half the Frenchmen held their own, but towards the end the Maoris’ staying power told. The Maoris showed themselves superior in individual fitness, pace, and dexterity, but the captious critic might remark that they tend somewhat to sacrifice science in their back combination to a forceful game with the idea of gaining ground at all costs. The Maoris in the first half, notwithstanding continued pressure, crossed their opponents’ line only once, Barolay scoring a try which was unconverted. Frequently the Frenchmen were within an ace of scoring, but did not succeed in doing so in the first half. In the second spell the game was even, but faster and more furious. Piquitral, snatching the ball from a line-out near the goal-line, adroitly circled his adversaries and equalised the scores with a brilliant try. Both sides redoubled their efforts, and twice Barclay secured, found an opening, feinted and scored by sheer speed. Lyons towards the end began to flag perceptibly. Matene and Crawford added tries to the Maoris’ total. Potaka converting Crawford’s. Barclay and Bell especially distinguished themselves. Barclay was solely responsible for his three tries, while Bell was almost superhumanly active in combined movements.