Fijians Provide Entertainment For NZ

[?]O Test Matches, But—

Fijians Provide Entertainment For NZ Rugby Fans

HHE Fijian football team concluded L its recent NZ tour with a good, but not outstanding, record. The jam won 10 games, lost three and rew two.

Most notable successes were in the vo “Tests” against the Maoris.

In the first match against the [aoris, at Wellington, the tourists ad a runaway win by 36 to 13, but le Maoris fielded a better side in le second match at Dunedin.

In this match, the Fijians were escribed as unconvincing, even lough they won 17-8.

The tourists scored 317 points, an irerage of better than 21 a match, ad showed attacking ability above le average.

However, 182 points scored against lem indicated that their defence as indifferent.

Early clamour that the team lould be given a run against a full ew Zealand Test side died away alf-way through the tour, when was realised that the tourists ould be badly beaten in such a latch.

Entertaining though they may be, le Fijians have not based their ;yie of play on sound Rugby prin ples, and would have no chance gainst an All Black pack, which ould exercise such control over the all that the fleet and enterprising ijian backs would see little of it.

NZ experts spoke highly of the ipabilities of the backs, but shook leir heads at the way the forwards ent about their work.

The team lost two games in the outh Island—against Southland nd Canterbury.

These two provinces traditionally roduce the hard rucking type of nward, who can be matched only y teams which play a similar type f football.

In any case it would be too much ) expect Fiji to beat Canterbury, hich soundly beat the 1956 Spring oks, and even more convincingly ccounted for the 1957 All Blacks r hen they returned from Australia.

The tourists were popular wherever tiey went, and played before crowds hich packed the grounds to capacity.

Jo Levula, the flying left-winger, hrilled the spectators as he had i NZ in 1951 and again in Aus ralia in 1952 and 1954.

Orisi Dawai, captain of the Jursists, a centre-three-quarter, had he hallmark of class about every thing he did, and showed that as n attacking centre he is probably without a peer in the world to-day.

Full-back Nacanieli Uluiviti, who Jarned the fundamentals of the ame while a student at Auckland University, was a sound, and at times

spectacular full-back, and Jese Mucunabitu played grandly at scrum-half.

NZ reports indicated that all the backs were worthy tourists and well up to NZ interprovincial standard.

Isimeli Radrodro, Isikeli Cawa, Nacanieli Nabaro and Jos e f a Saukuru were the best of the forwards.

The full scores in each match were (Fijj scores first); v Poverty Bay, 14-14; v Bay of Plenty, 22-3; v. Auckland, 38-17; v North Auck land, 6-3; v. Taranaki, 8-8; v. King

Country, 14-26; v Manawatu, 30-12; v. Wairapara, 27-8; v Maoris (first Test), 36-13; v Marlborough, 39-9: v. West Coast, 23-17; v. Southland, 8-13; v Maoris (second Test), 17-8; v. Mid-Canterbury, 19-9; v Canter bury, 16-22. ♦ t According to a recent Vatican announcement, the south-central Polynesian vicariate formerly styled the Vicariate of Tonga, will hence forth be styled the Vicariate Apostolic of Tonga and Niue. This follows the recent establishment of a Catholic mission at Niue. Some time ago the Vicariate of Samoa had its title changed to Vicariate Apostolic of Samoa and the Tokelau Islands. There has been a Catholic mission in the Tokelaus for many years.