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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 13, Issue 5 (August 1, 1938)

New Zealand Rugby League Team

New Zealand Rugby League Team.

The New Zealand Rugby League's team concluded a most successful tour of Australia last month and did much to establish the code's standing as a winter sport in New Zealand. Until recently, League football has not been strong outside Auckland, but recent weeks have seen an improvement in Wellington, new teams in Canterbury and a rapid increase in the number of teams on the West Coast of the South Island. A strong hand has been taken to keep the sport clean and whereas, in the past, discontented Rugby Union players have found an avenue to change to when things have not gone their way, the League people have made it clear that they prefer young players who can be taught the fundamentals of League. The sport is progressing.

The New Zealand team suffered in comparison with the Australian forwards—and the interpretations of several rules had them all at sea—but the back division proved itself equal to anything met in Australia. Jack Hemi, the Maori full-back, who played in seven of the nine games, scored 67 points out of the 182 scored by New Zealand. J. Smith was the only player to take the field in all of the nine matches; he scored 25 points. Of the nine games played, five were won, three lost and one drawn.