Provincial Teams Also

Nor is such prominence to be found only on the international plane, for there are also to be found strong and continual challenges by increasing numbers of Maori players for position in provincial teams. To recall a few, there were:

Porima, Raureti (Waikato).

Maniapoto, Walsh, Herewini, Pryor, Nathan, Rangi (Auckland, holders of the Ranfurly Shield).

Nicholls, Taitoko (Manawatu).

Walters, Yates (North Auckland).

Tapsell, Orme, Taiaroa (New Zealand Universities).

Mahupoka (Wairarapa).

These are only a few of them; there were dozens more.

In the East Coast, Hawkes Bay, Counties, King Country, Taranaki, and the other provincial sides Maori players were present in large and representative numbers. New Zealand can boast of having many excellent Maori rugby players right down to Club level.

Among ‘Greats’ of 1962

In picking out the ‘greats’ of 1962 it would not be permissible to go past the northern quartet of Walsh, Herewini, Yates and Nathan. All but Walsh, a past All Black of some distinction, made the 1962 New Zealand team that toured Australia and played the Australian touring side in New Zealand later in the year. I feel that Walsh was most unlucky in not being selected to an All Black side this year. He has been the pivot and ‘nursery man’ for the brilliant Herewini—a combination upon which Auckland shield successes must have rested strongly.

As individuals, this year's All Black trio proved themselves as true internationals. Victor Yates, though his form was not what it was in 1961 against the Frenchmen, still showed that he will be a very strong contender for the British Isles tour in 1963–64.

Mac Herewini, even if he keeps only reasonable form, can ‘pack his bags’. The same can be said of Waka Nathan, and perhaps there will be other Maori players on the scene as well next year.

The trio are an example of the trend in Rugby which I discussed last March in ‘Te Ao Hou’. Maori backs have always been a feature

N.Z. Herald Photo
Mac Herewini scoring a magnificent solo try in the Ranfurly Shield match, Auckland v. Taranaki, last September

Mac Herewini, whose photo is on the cover of this issue of Te Ao Hou, comes from Mokai, a tiny mill settlement north-east of Lake Taupo. When he was seven his family moved to Auckland, and for a period of two years in his early teens, he was an apprentice jockey.

His career very nearly ended at one stage during this time, when a savage horse reared, threw him and fell on him. As it fell, one of the horse's hooves struck the young boy in his chest. The injury was extremely serious—but if it had been an inch higher, it would certainly have been fatal. At this stage Mac rode at 6 stone, a tiny wisp of a boy. At 5 ft. 7 ins. he still looks pretty small on a football field, but he's now a strongly built 11 st. 4 lb., and once he's in action it's exceedingly clear that his height is no disadvantage to him.

Mac worked for a time with his great friend Waka Nathan on meat-boning contracts at the Westfield works, but then he took up drain-digging work. He has his own special machine now, is his own boss, and is doing very well at it.

He's also a good tennis player, though there's been less time for this since his marriage, and especially since the birth of his daughter—‘a great little kid’—a few months ago.

Auckland Star Photo. N. Z. Herald Photo.
Victor Yates (left) and Waka Nathan (right) are both rugged, intelligent and fiery forwards who have proved themselves worthy of wearing the silver fern. They will be a ‘must’ for the English tour.

of New Zealand rugby but now Maori loose forwards are also coming into their own, and it seems that Maori players will again be contributing their bit to the continued supremacy of New Zealand in international Rugby.

Let's hope that next winter another grand effort from Maori sportsmen will be forthcoming—meanwhile, to all players from Club to International, the ‘has-beens’ and ‘will-bes’ can say ‘thank you for a magnificent year’.

We would very much like to be able to print more news in ‘Te Ao Hou’, and would be grateful for more contributions from readers—accounts of meetings, weddings, obituaries, photographs, and anything else of interest. They don't have to be long, and they don't have to be very carefully worded; you can always leave this to the editor, if you wish. We are always glad to receive stories, articles and poems, also. All published contributions are paid for.

Due to a mis-print, we referred in our last issue to the Hon. J. R. Hanan, Minister of Maori Affairs, as the Hon. J. R. Hanana. When we noticed this later we were rather embarrassed for a moment—till we realised that we had in fact simply given Mr Hanan the Maori version of his name, and what's wrong with that?

If you see a reference to a Mr J. K. Hana in ‘Te Ao Hou’ at any stage, it'll probably turn out to be Mr Hunn in his Maori disgui [ unclear: ] e.