A GREAT GAME

Southland Times, Issue 20015, 1 November 1926, Page 7

A GREAT GAME

MAORIS BEATEN WIN FOR HARLEQUINS i VISITOILS’ BACKS WEAKENED (By Telegraph—Press Assn..—Copyright.) 5.5 pun.) London, October 30. Harlequins beat the Maori Rugby team by 11 points to 5. At Twickenham in dull weather over 15,000 people saw a tremendously hard and fast game on perfect turf. The Maoris, who were obliged to bring in Kingi, Lockwood and Crawford for Mete, Bell and Minning, tackled finely and found their pace most valuable in defence, but the Harlequin forwards, with Price and Chick as wingers, got among the visiting backs so quickly after breaking up that the Maoris did not develop many handling movements and thus Falwasser and Phillips had few chances. A great feature of the game was the magnificent kicking by the Harlequins’ full back, Hubbard, who repeatedly found the touchfine, his superb efforts driving back the Maori forwards. The visiting forwards scrummaged hard but were beaten at heeling. They were also handicapped in the second half by losing Potaka, who was injured. The Harlequins had all the best of the first half, in which Laird scored a clever try after kicking to the right and following up, but Hubbard failed to convert. Just before half time Hubbard scored a fine penalty goal. Wakefield scored a great individual try from mid-way in the second half after a fine run. Hubbard converted. Soon after Kingi broke away and Falwasser took his pass and scored a try, Pelham converting. It was a very fine match. —A. and NX N.Z. LEAGUE TEAM. BEATEN BY ST. HELENS. HOME TEAM TOO FAST. (Rec. 5J> pjn.) London, October 30. At Rugby League St. Helens beat the New Zealand touring team by 28 points to 14. St. Helens fielded a weakened team because four men were playing in a county match, but they fully deserved their victory in a strenuous game. Though much the lighter side, St. Helens were quicker on the ball and often had the visitors guessing. The New Zealanders’ persistent. tackling, however, kept the score down. The passing on both sides was noteworthy. St. Helens’ left wing was outstanding. The Blacks drew first blood, Sanders scoring a gift try in the first few minutes. This was their only score in the first spell, while their opponents put on 9 points. McComas forced an opening and dropped a goal, Grundy got a goal from a free kick and Wilson notched a try which Grundy converted. The New Zealanders started much more brightly in the second spell but fell away before St. Helens’ persistent lightning attacks. Most of the scoring occurred in the closing stages, Mason, Avery and Sanders securing tries for the Blacks, Gregory converting one, while Dolan, Smith, Halton, Bailey and Pike crossed for the Lancashire men, Grundy adding goals to two of the tries. The New Zealand team was Gregory, Brown, Cole, Brisbane, Sanders, Delgrosso, Hall, Herring, Parkes, Mason, Avery, Gardiner, Thomas. —A. and N.Z, TROUBLE WITH PLAYERS REPORTED. SELECTION CRITICISED. (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) London, October 29. The trouble among the New Zealand League Rugby players is said to be due to half a-dozen players insisting that there should be a more impartial selection of the team, and to objections to what they consider the ultra-economy of the management, for instance, the sending of only the bare team to the place of a match, leaving the remainder behind at headquarters. One of the team’s chief faults has been indifferept hooking. It- was significant that at Leeds on Wednesday two backs played in the pack while a wing three-quarter played as a hooker and Gardiner in the back row.— A. and NX MANAGEMENT DENIES REPORT. (Rec. 5.5 pjn.) London, October 29. The New Zealand League Rugby management denies the report that some of the team have refused to play to-morrow and adds that the team turns out in ' full strength.—A. and NX