FOOTBALL

Hokitika Guardian, 10 July 1930, Page 2

FOOTBALL

BRITAIN V, MAORIS

A SPLENDID GAME.

MAORIS SHOW FINE DASH

(By Telegraph—Press Association).

WELLINGTON, July 9

Playing dashing inspiring football, the Maori All Black side gave Britain one of the hardest matches of the tour at the Athletic Park to-day. There was a difference of six points in the scores (19 —13 -in. favour of Britain) and it gives a good indication of the relative strengths of the sides, for, though the British backs played a more scientific game, and displayed more finish, in their pasting movements, this was counteracted *ty the fire and vigour which the Maoris put into both their defence and attack. Throughout, the game .was played at a rattling pace. • Bell played a particularly fine game as wing forward in the Maori team, and he was largely rospbusble for the effectiie smothering of the, British inside backs, Sports and Boycott,' wh«V howejot.. both proved versatile,:iin meeting?, the occasion., ’ •

Morley, the speed? winger,' wliq scored th© sensational try at Dunedin, notched, anpithei’, two tries, and Novis on the other wing, \y a$ . also resppnsible for two. Ruru, on the Maori wing, also played a spectacular game and Harrison, the Maori half-back, com© out with colours flying in his contest with Spong. The two full-backs, Nepia and Bassett, gave splendid exhibitions. The teams were as telegraphed earlier.

THE PLAY

Right from the start, the Maoris exhibited some bright individual .play, Harrison and Bell being prominent, and a dangerous situation arose when Harrison, having evaded Spong in a run round the blind side, passed in to the forwards, but Britain managed to smother, and they broke away, tlm ball at toe to Nepia, who found touch.

THE FIRST SCORE.

Then a few minutes from the start, the British back line swung • into action, and short, quick passing saw Morley score well out-. Black missed with the attempt at conversion.—Britain 3; Maoris 0. The smothering on th© part of the Maori inside backs,. Itopota, Robinson and Harrison, was quick and decided. Wo no a and Reside broke through two scrums, and they bustled the British backs badly, Ruru was given the b»U on the blind side, and he made * Bplendid run down the line, passing in scrummaging near /the posts. Britain was penalised, Nepia taking an easy kick and making the -scores even.—Maoris 3; Britain 3. Play had mow been ..in progress only seven minutes from the start. Following;. ui^;, quickly, Jones and Farrell were promiiient in taking the play to the Maori 25. Then, from a scrum, Spong passed out to Bowcott, . who beat his man, and handed on to Aarvold, the latter running Morley into position three yards from the line, and allowing him to run round and score in a good position. Black, however, missed the .gaol.—-Britain 6;

Maoris 3. _ Against such a dashing, determined defence as that put up by the Maoris, the British back line found its opportunities strictly limited.

CLEVER MAORI PLAY.

Britain . hooked from most of the scrums, but, seldom was able to get the ball away .cleanly, and even when it did so, tliklMaori 'backs were round in a flash. I'jHarrispn gave a lot of trouble from; behind the Maori scrum and he shot?: his passes out quickly, varying his play nicely, and working the blind side. Owfone. occasion, he had dribbled * u,, lob pass up to 'Bassett and he across, when Morley ran round just in the niok of time and__ saved.’ On the whole, the play was "fairly even, though a shade in favour of the Maoris, but a lot of the value of their efforts was lost through infringements. Both Prentice and Parker had unsuccessful shots at goal from penalties, and from a third penalty kick, taken from well out near the side line, Parker added another three points.—Britain 9; Maoris 3. ' v

SECOND SPELL,

The score was ./unchanged at halftime, but?the Maoris, by consistent upsetting of Britain’s apple cart as far as combined passing was concerned, more than held their own. After Nepia had missed with a penalty kick at goal, Spong secured and rah round to Novis in an attempt at starting another passing rush, but the tackling was very sure. Coming round the scrum in a flash, after Britain had secured, the Maoris caught Bowcott in possession, speedily robbed him of the ball, and dribbled to within five yards of the Britisli line. Ruru then took an attempted touch-finder from JBassett on the full, and he was away

down the line, but Morley’s tackling was Sure.

BRITISH BACKS’ FINE EFFORT, > '

After a spell of hard scrums, witlx Britain steadily gaining ground, Spong secured, and passed to Aarvold, who gave to Jones-Daves, who broke through in great style and handed on to Novis whose speed gave him a clear run in. It was a splendid tr.i. Parker converted. —Britain 14; Maoris 3.*

Nepia had a penalty pot tit goal from neat half-way but he missed and tli e Maori forwards, with Oxley and Robinson prominent, forced the play down to near the British line, -then to be forced back to tbe 25. Bell ivas always on hand when wanted, spoiling many British, movements. The tackling of boti-sides was deadly.

A GREAT MAORI RUSH

At last the Maoris’ persistent and determined attacks were rewarded, when, after “knocking at the door” for a gpod ten minutes, Bell led his forwards in a magnificent rush that simply swept the opposition before it. Near the posts, the ball shot out to Pelham, who dived across, under tbe cross-bar, for Nepia to convert. Britain 14; Maoris 8. Bell returned the kick-off well down field, and Bassett fumbled, allowing three men, who had followed up quickly to start another seige whereupon Beamish was prominent in temporarily clearing from the 25 by sheer bulldog strength, It took three men to pull him down, hut. Watson and Toby Robinson were prominent in a quick movement that took play back again, At this stage, the crowd was on its; toes with excitement, and the applause was deafening when Ruru got th© ball on th e wing, and dashed fox the line. He side-stepped Bassett, not entirely successfully, but enough to catch iiini off his balance. The Maori bumped him hard and dived across in the corner. Nepia again converted,— Britain 14; Maoris 13. Still the Maori dash and devil was much in evidence. Twice in succession Bassett had to force. From the second drop off, however, the British forwards got away in a great rush that took play in a flash from one 25 to the other.

MAORIS OUTWITTED.

Here a scrum was formed. Spong sent out a long pass to his backs, who were standing well away from the scrum—tactics that were effective in evading the Maori backs as they were coming round. The ball went along the line ! in quick, short passes to Novis,’ who had plenty of room, and ho sprinted straight for the corner, running round after he had crossed the line to score in a handy position. Parker converted. —Britain 19 ; Maoris i 3. There were only a few minutes to play, and tlie game ended after Nepia had misesd two shots at .goal from half-way. Before the”second shot, the referee' stopped the play in order to clear some of the i spectators off the goal line, but when- the whistle went, the teams were rushed, and the Maoris were enthusiastically chaired off. • Mr F. Sutherland (Auckland) was referee.

TltE FOURTH TEST

ROW OVER- SEATS

PALMERSTON N., July 8

A .strong protest at the action of the Wellington Rugby Union in failing to adhere to the orginal promise to reserve sufficient accommodation for the fourth test at Wellington, for patronß from the country unions outside Wellington was voiced by the Manawatu Rugby Council to-night. The protest arose when an intimation was received that only 450 seats had been set aside for visitors from country unions, Manawhenua, Hawke’s Bay, Walrarapa, Wanganui and Bush. Mr J. A. Colquhoun, president of the Manawatu Council, stated that at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union, Mr Dean and Mr Frendeville had given an assurance that if they were allowed to impose the present test charges, ample accommodation for members of country unions would be provided. Mr Colquhoun expressed the opinion that these two officials had gone bade on their pledged word in the matter.

WELLINGTON, July 8

“The Chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Union has complained about what he calls the ‘shocking treatment’ .given country unions concerning the booking of stand seats for the fourth test. It is typical of his extravagant statements, but I think we should reply to the complaints,’’ said Mr J. Prendeville, chairman of the Wellington Rugby Union ’at to-night’s meeting. “There were 4218 stand seats available,” he said, and of these blocks B and G containing 2107 seats were for Wellington patrons, C block contained 750 seats; and of these 450 had been set aside for country patrons, the remainder being allotted for visiting offir rials, referees and ■- other officials. Blocks D and E had 1366 seats, and of these 730 were required for season ticket-holders, local committee officials, life members, and the Press. There left 630 seats available, at £1 each.” “We are running this match just as Canterbury did the second Test and Otago the first Test. There were no complaints from country' districts as far as these .matches were concerned. We are trying to act fairly and square-

ly by the outside patrons, and our regular Wellington patrons. If we had 10,000 seats we would have no difficulty in selling them. The country patrons could not have all the £1 seats. The balance, roughly 218. had to be held back for city patrons. Country allocations had been used up because in addition it had been agreed to give favourable consideration to applications from outside union officials, but those applications would have to be in by July 12th.”

REFEREES APPOINTED

FOR BRITISH MATCHES

WELLINGTON, July 9

The New Zealand Rugby Appointment Board has appointed the following referees for tbe remaining matches against provincial teams to be played by the British llugby team: Hawke’s Bay at Napier, Mr W. Grantham (of Wairara.pa): Poverty Bay-East Coast. Mr G. A. Maddison (of Hawke’s Bay) ; Auckland, Mr J. Moffatt (o* Wellington); North Auckland, M,r M. Kronfield (of Auckland); Waikato, Mr S. Weston (of North Auckland).

WEST COAST RUGBY UNION.

The weekly meeting ’of the West Coast Rugby Union was held last evening at Grey,mouth, The New Zen I and Rugby Union notified that a number of seats hnd been put nJude for Union officials at the fourth test. It was decided to make application for 25 tickets, The President reported that lie bad interviewed members of tbe Old Boys Club,’ Christchurch, and they would notify the Union after their next meeting if they were able to make a trip to play a match at Grey mouth.

Tlie Roller Rugby Union wrote explaining the fact that the Maori match had been cancelled, and asked the Union to fill the breach by playing the home and home match on Saturday to keep in good faith with the public. After discussion it was resolved that the Buller Union be advised that the Union regreaeu its inability- to send a team at such short notice.

The Motueka Union wired regretting that they could not play the Seddon Shield match on July 26th. and suggested that the West Coast give way to Buller and allow that Union to challenge first. Mr I. Steel moved that the original suggestion of the Union, namely, that the date, July 26th. or the nearest Saturday thereafter, be adhered to. Mr Ryan seconded the motion, which was carried.

The Bailor Rugby Union wrote suggesting July 19th. as a suitable date for the home and home game. The President explained that if players were asked to gravel to Westport to play in this match, they would find it hard getting off to go to Motueka, The latter trip would mean lengthy leave, and leave in many cases could not be obtained.

Mr Ryan moved that the Buller Union be notified that, on account of playing Nelson and Golden Bay a week later, it w;*a impossible to piny the match prior to this. Mr Mclntosh seconded the motion, which was carried. Four applications for reinstatement to the code were ordered to be forwarded to the New Zealand Rugby Union, with a favourable recommendation.

Westland Football Association wrote stating that the Peter Dawson Cup match would be played at Grevmouth on Saturday, July 19th, and requested thate no special fixtures be set down for that date. It was decided to reply that no special fixtures were being held. It was decided to circularise the two Sub-Unions that reinstatement forms must be correctly filled in, as a number had been returned from the New Zealand Rugby Union. The Christchurch Poultry Club notified that a special train would be coming to the West Coast on August 2nd. to the poultry show, and asked that a match be arranged with a Christchurch team on that date. The matter was held over till next meeting. The New Zealand Rugby Union notified that the following applications for reinstatement on the Union’s recommendation had been granted: T. C. Withers, A. D. Marsden, B. Byrne. D. Green, E. Savage, J. A. Mclnroe, T. P. Quinn, S. Cuff, J. W. McLennan. .The New Zealand Union also returned six applications for completion, in which dates were not inserted in answer to Questions 5, 6 and 8. The President moved that both Inangahua and Westland Sub-Unions be forwarded their annual school grant of £5. also that they forward statement of expenditure at the end of the year, this being necessary to have the following year’s grant made. The motion was agreed to. Mr Eggelton reported that the Cobden senior team ooukl not fieTd a team on Saturday owing to a number of injured players in the team. Messrs Pring and Mclntosh both contended that the match should be awarded to Excelsiors, as the fixtures had been published, and must be adhered to.

The President stated that as Cobden Club had given three days’ notice of their inability to play, they were entitled to a hearing, as the rule stated. Mr F. Wilson moved that the seventh round be played on Saturday. Mr J. Kav seconded. Mr Williams moved an amendment that the fixtures stand. Mr Pring seconded. The amendment was lost and the motion carried.

It was pointed out that the reason for the seventh draw being played was

to have a match played at Hokitika and to give Excelsiors a game, as if Cobden forfeited Excelsiors would not have played and there would have been no match at Hokitika. It was deemed advisable also to have as many players as possible in action owing to the dose proximity of the Seddon Shield match.

FIXTURES

Seniors: Rivals v. Illaketown at Hold tika at 3 p.m.; Brunner v. United at Brunner at 3 p.m. (W. Pring); Excelsiors v. Stars at Victoria. Park at 3 p.m. (W. Williams) ; Cobden a bye.