Sports Review

The Fijians Turned

Pretty Heads

THE Fijian, wearing a blazer, walked a little uncertainly into Burns Philp’s Nukualofa store.

At the counter, he peered down through the glass, apparently look ing for something.

But the pretty Tongan shop assist ant had seen him, and snatching up her docket book she hurried towards him.

“May I . . . ” began the Fijian, obviously still a little unsure of him-

Soii.

“Excuse me,” said the shop girl, breathiessiy, thrusting the docket book and pencil across the counter.

But can I have your autograph’” ancl fledT° Uld ' be customer signed— "P? 0 Fijian Rugby Union team town—for a three weeks’ long them Tests eVen matches - of The team, the first since 1947 when Tonga visited Fiji got a warm welcome. On Test days eveS wa e tchth?m^ch arly S ° Staffs ’ could t°urs of e d ach°?the football grounds 1924 > w hen the teams, playing m Tonga, had a draw for the P series .Fourteen Tests have been nlaved since then-three of the ser?es in Fiji and two in Tonga. Of all 17 Tests played between 1924 and the

start of the latest tour, Fiji has won 10 and Tonga 6, with the one draw.

Only one of the 1958 touring team has played againust Tonga in previ ous Tests—Ratu Edward Cakobau, who was captain of the 1934 team that visited Tonga, But Ratu Edward is a bit too old for such rough stuff on Tonga’s hard grounds now, and he and Mr. John Twentyman, of Suva, went along as managers of the team.

They Laugh at

Aussie Boxers

From Fred Dunn, in Noumea NEW CALEDONIAN boxing fans are disgusted with Australiar representatives of the noble art: Tuesday night, July 15, a crowc of some thousands assembled ir Noumea to watch the star mate!"

Harry Castle versus Francois Anewy.

Castle was billed as the coming middle-weight champion of Aus tralia, and the man who hac extended the present holder, Clive Stewart, to seven rounds.

Anewy is champion of Frencli West Africa, and challenger o; Michel Douf, present middle-weiglr champion of France. Castle’s manager had boasted that his man would go the twelve rounds, ano that the public would have it!, money’s worth.

Unfortunately, Castle did not even last three rounds.

During the first round, he hao constantly to seek the security o;< the ropes, and by the end of th«. second round he was in a bad state having been floored twice. During the third round the referee stoppeo the fight, to prevent, as the local paper put it, “a useless massacre”

On his performance agains?

Castle, the local experts predict thai Anewy will have a series of wall homes during his tour of Australhi and New Zealand.

Anewy is a New Caledonian bov who went to West Africa some ninu years ago.

After the ignomious defeat of yea another Australian “champion’' Australian boxers are the laughina stock of New Caledonia.

Perambulating Deputy Leader of the Australian Opposition, Mr. Arthur Calwell, in Rabaul, NG, in July , too k a first-hand look at local baseball. Here he is with members of the Brown Eagles and Silver Lions. See story opposite page.

The Fill rugby football team which toured Tonga. Back row (from left): Anare Secake, Ser[?] Tuisese, llaitia Ravouvou, Jone Tabaiwalu, Eremasi Lovodua, llaitia Nasadu, Tomasi Narogoitog[?] Josefa Saukuru Middle row: Patimio Golekivei, orisi Dawai, Suliasi Vatubua (vice-captain), Rat[?] Edward Cakobau (manager), Mr. John Twentyman (manager), Isimeli Radrodro (caotain), Josef[?] Levula, Sanaila Sautu, Maika Naikvu. In front: Sakiusa Tuva, Eparama Ravi, Inkoe Tabualev[?] Kaiava Bose, Aseri Kunawave, Ilaitia Burenivalu, Marika Ravula. -Fiji PRO[?]

The Owners Finally

Made It

THERE was a red letter day at Vuvu, New Britain, in July.

An Australian team finally beat a team of native schoolboys from the Catholic Mission at the Aus tralians’ own game—Australian Rules football.

Brother Hayes introduced the game to the Vuvu Mission lads three years ago, and they have since proved pretty adaptable. The snappy Vuvu players have run their heavier opponents off their feet.

The Australian code now appears to be catching the imagination of the general New Guinea native population.

The Australians came from Rabaul for the score-settling match, which was refereed by old Footscray (Mel bourne) player Jack Carroll.

They're Learning

From Experts

From Norman Baxter, in Suva FIJIANS are said to be great imitators in any walk of life.

Now while that is open to dispute in general terms, it does Ripply to rugby football, and this Rapacity to copy the other fellow is a matter for concern to Suva Jrugby administrators.

For years the Fijians played a refreshing open type of game, basing it on fundamentals taught by Paddy Sheehan, a near All Black who came to Fiji to build the Grand Pacific Hotel in the days before the Kaiser war.

In those days there was no European competition, so the Fijians had no one to ape. They developed their game along their own lines, P.nd what a crowd-pleasing spectacle it was.

But the passage of time has brought about a certain orthodoxy, learned from European teams, and brought, too, the use of methods which are, to say the least, un sporting.

Too often nowadays the Fijian footballers are inclined to throw punches, and the administrators blame this directly on the Euro peans.

When they have finished their own games they go to watch the European games, many of which have generated into near brawls.

If they see a European getting away with a punch or a kick they are bound to try it themselves next time they play.

There have been several disgrace ful incidents in European football this season.

One of the nastiest recently was when two players from the same club threw punches at each other after a match. One of these had represented Fiji at the 1956 Olympic Games as a boxer.

So while the Europeans get away with this sort of thing the Fijians can hardly be blamed. The Suva Rugby Union, and the referees, are concerned, but even stern action they have taken has had little effect.

A Political Cheer

For The Eagles

IT’S good to see it,” said the Deputy Leader of the Australian Opposition (and a former Min ister for Immigration), Mr. Arthur Calwell, at Rabaul in July.

He was referring to the “Brown Eagles”—who, in their first baseball match, were being trounced in front of his eyes by the “Silver Lions”.

But Mr. Calwell wasn’t talking about the state of the game. He was talking about the fact that the “Brown Eagles” were in exist

ence—for the team was all-native — the first all-native team in any sport which had entered into com petition in Rabaul against Euro pean and Chinese players.

The team was composed of Tolais from Matupi village, training under the direction of Harry Hugo, an old resident and baseball enthusiast.

Mr. Calwell went on to the field and met the players.

The following week the “Brown Eagles” avenged their debut to the baseball competition by beating last year’s premiers—“Norths,” 15-8.

AMERICA’S former world heavy weight champ, Jack Dempsey, wants to buy the contracts of Tongan fighters Johnny Halafihi, Kitione Lave and Fred Kaho, according to a London report in July.

The offer is reported to have been made to the trio’s English manager, Jimmy Lumb, who admitted that Dempsey had been interested in Lave “for a long time”.