PROMISING DEBUT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20024, 24 August 1939, Page 9

PROMISING DEBUT

j FIJIAN RUGBY TOURISTS I MAORI SIDE DEFEATED BUSTLING FOR WARDS SPEEDY BACK LINE ( P«t Prr-ss Association.) ROTORUA, this day. Playing tho first match of their New Zealand tour against a team representing Bay of Plenty Maoris here yesterday. before a large attendance, the Fijian team won by 11 points to nil. Conditions were cold and heavy rain fell during the greater part of both spells. These conditions were obviously not to the liking of the visitors, but in spite of this they gave many .indications that,, when they become more acclimatised, they will develop into a formidable combination. Both in the ‘backs and forwards they are heavy and rangy, breaking fast and revelling in hard work. They played the 2223 —2 scrum formation yesterday, with a loose forward, and succeeded in harrying the Bay inside backs so successfully that few, if any, of their rearguard movements came to anything. The Maori team, on the whole, did not make a very effective showing. Although their forwards worked hard, the inside backs, however, even when full allowance was made for the tactics of the Fijians, clid not work with any cohesion. The Fijian reaiguard played very deep, but appeared to have ample speed to employ this formation successfully. The wing three-quarter, Ngatilevu, who scored the Fijians’ first try, ap- ' peared to he a particularly dangerous scoring man, very weighty and with an exceptional turn of speed. The half-back, Kororua. also played a very useful game, handling quickly from the base of the scrum and showing very determined defence. Full-back Improves Korovulavula, the Fijian full-back, appeared uncertain.in the first half and took a number of risks, but his play improved considerably in the second spell. The forwards were a very even lot, rucking well, packing energetically, and following very fast. The Bay half-back, Ahipene, played well despite the fact that he was subjected to continual bustling by the Fijians, while B. Jacobs, an emergency playing at full-back for Bay, was also very safe. Whiteley and Murray led the Bay forwards, the former bc-ing outstanding. The Fijians’ first try came just before half-time, when they swung play suddenly from one end of the field to the other, catching the Bay napping, and Ngatilevu went over in the corner. Cakobau missed the kick. The second try came shortly after the Interval and revealed the possibilities of tho Fijians’ backs. Kororua swung the,_ball out snYartly from a scrummage, and it travelled right along the toackline to Voreoe, who raced over to score behind the posts. Cakobau had no difficulty with the kick. The Fijians added the final points from a penalty kick toy Cakobau from the 25 and incurred as a result of off-side play by a Maori player.

The referee • was Mr. F. Wederlll, Whakatane.

The two teams gave a Maori haka and a Fijian war dance before commencing the match.