MAORI FOOTBALL MATCH

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1931, Page 9

MAORI FOOTBALL MATCH

PARRIS TAYLOR SHIELD WON.

WAITARA BEAT NEW PLYMOUTH.

The usual zest and abandon seen in Maori football matches was evident at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, yesterday, when Rangimare played Tamataane for the Parris Taylor Shield. The Rangimare team were drawn from the district south of Waitara Road and the Tamataane team —the challengers—from the north. The ground was wet but the handling was on the whole good. Both full-backs played well and Watson and McLeod, at centre for Waitara and New Plymouth respectively, were prominent. New Plymouth drew first blood, but Waitara had more second spell dash and won the shield by 13 points to 3.

The teams were: — Rangimare. —N. Kopu; R. Thomas, J. McLeod, R. Niwa; J. Edwards, H. Falwasser; T. Martin; T. Watson, T. Pui, R. Broughton, H. Koti, R. McLeod, P. Tamati, J. Kopu; McDonald. Tamataane.—H. Stockman; R. Jones, R. Watson, M. White; W. Jones, M. ■Skelton; Lake; J. Nicholls, M. Tito, P. Kawe, T. Tito, Kiwi, J. Roberts, Leatherby; Pitama. Both sides made the pace early in the game and played strenuously. The New Plymouth team had its opponents penned on the line for a time but the best attacking movements came from Watson and. his colleagues. Play quickly moved to the New Plymouth end, where a speculator bounced luckily into a defender’s arms and the yellow; and blacks were in full cry. Waitara streamed back again, but the first try came like a bolt from the blue. A high kick into midfield by a New Plymouth player was missed by the Waitara winger and good following up resulted in the easiest of tries. The kick missed. McLeod nearly broke awaj, but Waitara retaliated only to find the defence too good. New Plymouth thrust on the wing and seemed about to score when Watson intercepted a pass and transferred play. A long interchange of kicks resulted in a gain for RangiClifton attacked and a bne-out formed on the New Plymouth line, lhe defending full-back secured and kicked straight up! Fourteen pairs of hands reached for thfe ball, which bounced along the attacking back line. Nobody could do with it and New Plymouth worked “their way downfield. When a try was likely someone was off-side. Stockman ran up a long way from fullback and Watson carried on on the outside. The New Plymouth backs handled at midfield and Watson tackled McLeod as he passed to Niwa. Niwa dropped the ball and Watson picked it up, streaked for the line, brushed off the full-back, and dropped over to soere. He converted his own try with a good kick. The Waitara men were playing better and the backs were good. A passing rush started and although W. Jones failed to pass, R. Jones held his around till the five-eighths picked up aaain and scored. Watson failed to convert the try. Frantic efforts to score resulted in some inspired scrambling. Neither side could gain any davantage until a New Plymouth forward executed a beautifully-judged line kick just inside the Waitara corner flag. McLeod tried a drop-kick and then the pressure was relieved by a penalty kick. Hectic scrumming in the Waitara goal-mouth aave promise of an equalising goal, but W. Jones cleared. Watson and Skelton cleared and from a scrum a forward scored by the posts and Watson converted the try, and the final result was: Tamataane I 3 Rangimare 3 Mr. T. Crone refereed.