Maori Personalities in Sport by PAUL POTIKI Keith Davis

RUGBY 1953 has been a boom year for Rugby generally, and Maori players have made their contribution to the success of the season both in provincial matches and in the All Black trials. Three Maoris or part-Maoris, Keith Davis (Auckland), Doug Hemi (Waikato) and Vince Bevan (Wellington) have been chosen to tour Great Britain, France and the U.S.A., and to them we extend very hearty congratulations and good wishes for a successful tour. It is interesting to note that all three play for major unions—in fact, unions which have held the Ranfurly Shield in the last two years—but nevertheless the series of trials was most exhaustive, and selection scrupulously fair. As it was, several other Maoris must have gone very close to selection, notably Tommy Goldsmith, of Wanganui, and Brownie Cherrington, of Northland. Goldsmith won a tremendous reputation throughout the trials for his resolute defence. He had the difficult task of marking Ron Jarden on several occasions, and many tributes have been paid to the manner in which he did so. Cherrington, as usual, proved to be a tough proposition for whoever had to mark him, and when one remembers the success of Jim Sherratt in England with the Kiwis, one has the feeling that an aggressive winger like Cherrington could possibly have the same success on this tour. No mention of Rugby for 1953 would be complete without reference to the East Coast Ranfurly Shield challenge at Wellington. With three exceptions the team was wholly Maori, and this was their first challenge for the Shield. Although they lost by a large margin they were by no means disgraced, and, in fact, their forwards more than held their own. In the backs they were outclassed by superior speed, experience and combination, but they should take consolation from the fact that so were Auckland and Taranaki. Also, Wellington have provided six backs for the All Blacks, and two of these could find places only as emergencies against East Coast. One must also pay a tribute to the Taranaki Captain, Lance Hohaia, for his splendid contribution to Rugby in 1953. This big man led his province with great skill, and played some splendid football himself. When one considers that he is by no means in the first flush of youth, his performance is all the more meritorious. Another pleasing feature of the season has been the encouragement given to Maori Rugby by the provincial Unions. Wellington, Wairarapa, Horowhenua and Wanganui all sponsored special Maori representative matches, and in these games a very high standard was set. Doug Hemi and Vince Bevan The Wellington-Wanganui Maori game was played as a curtain-raiser to the final Shield match, and a vast crowd of about 40,000 was treated to—and fully appreciated—a feast of thrilling football. Sol Heperi and Tommy Goldsmith, both Maori All Blacks, were the respective captains, but the players who really took the eye were Hugh Kawaru, Kara Puketapu