RUGBY IN PLUS FOURS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 975, 19 May 1930, Page 7

RUGBY IN PLUS FOURS

BRITISH TEAM PLAYS - INFORMAL GAME ENTERTAINMENT BY MAORIS fSU A* Special Representative — Copyright; j WANGANUI, Sunday. In a pretty setting of bush, sur- • rounding the football ground at Parikino, 30 miles up the Wanganui River, | the British Rugby team today played its first match on New Zealand soil, j It was a strictly informal affair, arranged on the spur of the moment to j satisfy the wishes of the Parikino , Maoris, who had entertained the team hospitably with hakas, poi dances, a j display of Maori cooking and many kindred tokens of goodwill. Most of the players had their football boots with them, but only three had full outfits, consequently they played in plus fours and flannels, many without shirts. For 15 minutes of hard, breezy football, the British enjoyed themselves immensely. Historic interest was lent to the match, in which several local Maoris reinforced the visitors, by the fact i that A. F. Harding, captain of the 1908 Anglo-Welsh team, refereed. By j taking a pass from Black and scoring under the posts, Jennings secured the unofficial honour of scoring the first try of the tour. During the entertainment by the Maoris, the British entered thoroughly into the spirit of the occasion. They were delighted with their first glimpse of this phase of New Zealand life. Prentice is suffering from ear i trouble, as a result of infection in- j curred in the ship’s bathing tank on : the voyage out. He will be unavail- i able for a week.