THE MAORI TEAM

Hokitika Guardian, 6 July 1926, Page 4

THE MAORI TEAM

WILL BE A FINE SIDE. All! PARATA WELL SATISFIED. CHRISTCHURCH, July 2. e “I am well satisfied with the Alaori t Rugby team that is going abroad,” r said Air E. Pa rata who will be in ana- y ger of the Alaori team, of which be has f also been a selector. i “Is George Nepia going for certain?” asked the interviewer. I “Yes,” replied Air Parana. I The question was asked in view of t the. faet that Nepia did not play in , the inter-island match, and was not j selected for the Australian tour, Air f Parata’s assurance that lie will go to f France is, therefore, most gratifying. < “Failing Nepia we had a couple of ( other players in view who could fill I the full-l/jck position,” added Air i Parata. “They are Phillips and Potaka. .< Apart from the half-backs, we have picked all the backs to pity in any - position. The forwards also will be able i to play in any position ; that is first up, first down. We have picked the team with the idea that there will be no replacements. “Tiie selected team includes fifteen hacks and thirteen forwards. A player such ns Bell, however, will be able to play either hack or forward. The team do not intend to play a wing-lorward. The rover will be o man who call 111 ay as an extra five-eighth or centre-three-quarter. There will bo no wingforward as we know him in New Zealand. The side as a whole will bo very fast.” Regarding half-backs, the omission of A!ill was touched upon. 11a however, was not. available. Air Parata has every confidence in the two hallkicks who have been selected. Shortland plays for the Alaori Agricultural College, and is regarded in ...many quarters as a more promising player than Mill was ut his age. Kingi, of course, is well known as a clever player, and he is not unknown in Christchurch. Grace, a young wmg-thiec-quarler from To Auto College, is a player of great promise. He is twenty . years of 'age. and weighs 13.fi. Willi it all lie is a. very dashing wing who should make good oil the Lull. Mr Parata lias seen all the trials w jth the exception of tho one in South Canterbury, which was viewed by Air Stood, one of the Selection Committee. The selectors have tried out a lot of players who were regarded as perhaps being a little uncertain, hut the trials have proved that there are a great number of very’lino players who were originally regarded as belonging to Lie second string. Altogether there are 2000 Alaori footballers in New Zealand, anil the selectors are confident that out. of that number they have chosen a team whose standard of play will reach very high J as the tour progresses. Six of the forwards are fift 2in in height and two others are (itt. A) ith George Nepia. playing great football at present, tho team, both hack and forward, will be imbued with plenty of confidence,'anti this is likely to carry them a long way. Before leaving for Australia oil July 23, the team will play matches against Auckland on July 17, and Wellington tin July 21. A match will be played in Melbourne on July 31. and the team will embark for l 1 ranee on August 3. It is interesting to recall that the Maoir team of 1888 was the pioneer team front New Zealand to tour Great Britain, and as a matter of fact, the present Alaori team is the pioneer team to tour I 1 .ranee. The All H.ucks certainly played a. couple of matches in France last year, but that . oultl B*jLircclv bo describee! ns n. Low.