Fijians Will Be Hard To Beat At Rugby

Chronicle (Levin), 11 August 1948, Page 2

Fijians Will Be Hard To Beat At Rugby

AUCKLAND, August 10. 'A Fi.ji.aii Rugby team would be a hard side to beat if the propoKed touof the Auckland provinee takes place at the end of this seasou, said inembevs of the New Zealand Mauri teaiu wliich returncd to Auckland by air from Su\ u this afteruoon. Although the Maruia were the more ' experienced team tinui most of the sides tliey piayed against, they frankly adniitted that the Fijians were generally faster and better liundJers than themselves. " It was a common experience for our wing three-quarters to be pulled down from behind, '' said J. 11. Hmuh, captain of the team and a fonner Kiwi and All Black eentre three-quarter. "The Fijians were hard and tremend ously fast and proved themselves paiticularlv adept at malcing opening-s from dropped passes and ioose play. All they need to become really good is souiul coaching and ability to pack a solid-scrum. " > Sniith was partieularly impressed with the piaV of Kaviate Cavuilaiti, wing three-quarter, who had marked N. P. Clierrington most capably in eacli o+ the three Test matches. The Maoris will conclude their totir with matches against Auckland rep.-e-sentatives' tomorrow and against North Auckland at Whangarei on Saturday. In Fiji, the. team piayed six matches. winning four, drawing with the combiued Suva-Eewa team and losing the second Test match by 9 points to 8.