MAORI FOOTBALLERS

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 28 December 1926, Page 3

MAORI FOOTBALLERS

(Per Press Association —Copyright. PARIS, December 26, At Colombes, in the closing match of their tour, the Maoris beat France by 12 points to 3, after a poor game, in which both teams lacked dash and confidence. The Maoris kicked too much and their form was patchy. The teams lined out as under: France. Destarac, Jaurreguy, Bailette, Graciet, Velat, Dumanoir, Bader, Ribeyre, Piquiral, Prevost, Cassadet, Bousquet, Seyroux, Gannet, and Eacheberry. Maoris. Phillips, Falwasser, Pelham, Barclay, Mete, •Wineeia, Love, Bell, Robinson, S. Gemmell, Matene, Rika, Manihera, Olsen, Dennis. ■ Bell, Dennis, and Rika were the best. The French forwards were good, but .Im backs failed. France gained an initial .".dvantage over the Maoris, scoring from a.breakawy twenty minutes' after the commencement. The try was not converted. After fast play up and down the field, the Maoris obtained their first try, just before half-time, Manihera passing to the backs and Barclay crossing. The score was then France 3 Maoris ... 3 Tn the second half, Falwassar, after a run down the field, scored a try which Matene failed tfio convert. Then Rika scored, Love this time failing with the kick. Barclay touched down after a run of fifty yards, hut the referee decided he had put his foot into touch evading the full b .el:. However, in the closing minutes, Barclay got across again to score a try in the corner, which Matene failed to convert. The final scores were: Maoris 12 France 3 Summary.—Played 28, won 20, lost 6, drawn 2; points for 384, points against 191.