THE MAORI TEAM. THEIR ENGLISH EXPERIENCES.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 377, 15 June 1889, Page 4

THE MAORI TEAM. THEIR ENGLISH EXPERIENCES.

A correspondent ot the " Weekly Press " met the Maori footballers in Melbourne, and sends the following interesting information about them :—: — In the first place they all prefer New Zealand to tho old country. In fact one or two of them arcs so tired of their tour that they say they are going back to New Zealand immediately, but I am certain that neither Joe Warbrick nor Scott will countenance it, except perhaps in the case of thiee or four whom the latter gontleman designated as "ornaments." Mr Scott says that too many men were taken, who wore not of any use to the team excopt ab ornaments, and that they cculd easily do with fewer men. Still thcie wore several occasions when they could not raiso a decent team on account of injurios. Tho playois thomselves say that they have improved greatly, their passing- being especially good Their play ia of the fast order, no scrummaging. They are unanimous in declaring their New Zealand matches " soft things," and say that, the English team that visited tho colonies last season would not be in the same street with them. As rogaids their matches at Home, they met with some pretty lough usage at times, and are veiy indignant at rough play being charged to their account. Tho match at Shdheld Park against Middlesex wo& lost through want of foim, consequent on tho nobloowneis' hospitality, in the All England match the game was very even, and the Maoris leckon themsohes quite as good as the team which opposed them. They say they wcie neated most unfaiily in this match by tho official?, and that when they saw how thing- were they could not play with Ihe same spirit. xVs for the accusation ot playing roughly against the London Wel&h, they .say that it was the mo;=l hiendly of their matches. Thiee of the Maoris were nevertheless injured in it. The University matches were thrown away through carelessness, and tho Maoris doscribo them a& flukes. With regard to individual players, Keogh was the most successful in the scoiing line, placing 36 trios to his credit). Tho next scce was 26. Keogh and Elliott played well together at half. Wynyard was tho best of the three-quarters, with Davy Gago next. Warbrick, at full-back, was also a success. One of the backs told me that Lee had improved so vastly as to be about the best of the forwards. Joe Warbrick's ankle is still .still from his accident in New Zealand. He, and indeed all the members of the team, think that to send a New Zealand team Home at tho end ot tho present season would be a mistake, but that next year the trip might be undertaken with success, and that it coulc" be managed more economically than the present one was.