MAORI-FRENCH MATCH RECONSIDERED (Continued from page 39) with the appearance of Francois Moncla and Pat Walsh as they led their teams out onto the field. The teams were: French: J. Meynard, C. Lacaze, J. Bouquet, J. Pique, Andre Boniface, P. Albaladejo, P. Lacroix, M. Crauste, M. Celaya, F. Moncla (Captain), J. P. Saux, G. Bouguyon, A. Domenech, J. Landouar, P. Cazals. Maoris: M. Walters, R. Yates, P. T. Walsh (Captain), K. S. Ransley, E. J. Thompson, M. A. Herewini, P. Marshall, V. M. Yates, W. J. Nathan, M. Maniapoto, G. Koopu, R. Walker, H. Piaka, W. R. Wordley, J. Porima. Referee: Mr J. Phizacklea. The Maori team did their haka and in the minds of the many kaumatua present, this was the sign that they were to give of their best. In fact on looking back and comparing the vigorous haka with French teams' peculiar and gentle “ha ha” dance, one might be tempted to say that this in fact illustrated the general trend of the match to come. Albaladejo kicked off for the Frenchmen and so the match started. The first scrum went down on half way (the kick having gone into touch) and from it came the first sign that this was to be a vigorous match. From the start the Maori forwards exerted themselves, and it was obvious that they were to be the dominating influence on the match. The first scoring opportunity was to go to France when Meynard attempted a penalty from a fairly hard position. The kick missed and Walters returned with a long kick. The Frenchmen attacked time and again, and some astute kicking by Albaladejo and Boniface kept them in the Maori 25 for some time. However, the Maori forwards would drive from near their own goal line and only tenacious and desperate tackling by the Frenchmen kept them from scoring. Meynard, the French fullback, was a tremendous tower of strength for the French defence and his fielding and kicking of the ball especially was a feature of the match.

DECISIVE HALF HOUR The first half ended 0–0 and it was not until about 15 minutes after the interval that the first points were scored. From a scrum just inside the Maori half the ball went out to Lacaze on the left wing for France; he moved to about the Maori 25 and centre-kicked, to where Domenech, Crauste and Moncla charged; from the ensuing pack Moncla dived across and was awarded a try. Albaladejo attempted to goal, but the kick was disallowed. (The circumstances regarding this attempted conversion are still discussed today and there is no doubt that injustice is bound to occur occasionally unless a way is found to overcome the language difficulty.) This score by the Frenchmen (3–0) seemed to make the Maoris try harder. First Walsh, then Yates made a break and always there was the relentless driving by the Maori forwards. About 7 minutes before the final whistle, from a scrum 15 yards from the French line and to the left of goal, the ball came back to half-back Marshall, a long almost balloon pass to Herewini, who, finding the way blocked, stopped and threw a long pass to Walters, travelling at speed on the blind; Walters moved through a gap towards the corner play, drawing the defence as he moved; then Ransley moved up on the inside of Walters taking a reverse pass at speed and dived over for what the crowd at McLean Park thought was one of the finest tries ever. This was what the crowd had been waiting for; hats, coats, papers were thrown into the air as the people acknowledged their team's effort. With the score now 3–3, everyone settled to watch Walters attempt to convert from about 3 yards from the sideline. It seemed too much to expect from this North Auckland art

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