RUGBY FOOTBALL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 August 1939, Page 11

RUGBY FOOTBALL

FIJIAN TEAM’S TOUR OPENING GAME WON. MATCH AGAINST MAORIS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) ROTORUA. August 23. Playing the first match of their New Zealand tour against a team representing Bay of Plenty Maoris here today. before a large attendance, the Fijian Rugby team won. 11-0. 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 in the forwards they are heavy and rangy, breaking fast and revelling in hard work. They played two-three-two scrum formation today, 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, though their forwards worked hard. The inside backs, however, even when full allowance was made for the tactics of the Fijians, did not work with any cohesion. The Fijian rearguard played very deep, but appeared to have ample speed to employ this formation successfully.

The wing three-quarter. Ngalelovu. who scored the Fijians’ first try. appeared to be 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. 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. lucking well, packing energetically and following up fast. Fiji scored two trios (one converted) and kicked a penalty goal. OTAGO v NORTH AUCKLAND. SOUTHERN TEAM WIN. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WHANGAREI, August 23. The individual brilliance of Otago brought about the defeat of North Auckland, 25 to 13, in a Rugby match this afternoon. Mitchell who, it was announced to-

day. will not be available for the South African tour, played the home team on his own at limes, repeatedly snapped up cither to go through himself or to hand on to supports. North Auckland showed no sign of the football played when they beat Auckland recently. The defence was totally lacking, particularly in the early stages. Tries were scored for Otago by Mitchell (4). Churchill. Murray, McClelland. Two were converted by G. Perriam. — AUCKLAND BEATEN. WIN FOR CANTERBURY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, August 23. The touring Canterbury Rugby team played the second game of its northern tour against Auckland, winning 6-3. All the points were gained in the first spell, in which Canterbury held the territorial advantage throughout.