RUGBY IN CALIFORNIA

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 108, 16 February 1935, Page 2

RUGBY IN CALIFORNIA

ALL BLACK COMBINATION.

DETERMINED TO UPHOLD NAME. CLUB’,S GREAT AMBITION'. Mr F. G. Stewart, president of the All Black Rugby Football Club, Vancouver, writes as follows: As a former Rugby player in Dunedin and now holding the valued l position as president of the North Shore All Black Rugby Football .Club, I . believe all New Zealand Rugby players will be interested in the history of the North Shore All Blacks. Just five years ago, in the fall of L 930, two disappointed Rugby players of the Seaforth Highlanders fifteen were wondering into what channels'to turn their obstructed Rugger streams. The Highlanders had disbanded, and this highly enthusiastic duo had a pair of good boots apiece, Rugby pants, and everything else—except a team to play for.

Art Wootten and Rugs Kinninfnont were the players, and as it happened close friends living on North Shore. One night while talking about this and other things one of the couple exclaimed: “Well, wliat’s the matter with organising a team oyer here.” Idea Crows Rapidly. The brain child had no sooner been given birth to before it started to grow', and rapidly. Other friends of the instigators were roped in, and 1 in no time at all, six more North Shore Rugger enthusiasts were eagerly going the rounds, collecting more players and money from this- that had any, to buy sweaters and equipment. The other six originals were Bud McCall, Bill Falcioni, Don Doige, Vern Mercer, and Jack Shaw.

Fitting to the spirit with which the club was organised, it was named All Blacks, the name which has graced the great championship teams of New Zealand, who have made the game a byword in English Rugby circles the world over. Captain L. E. Mercer, a former Springbok player, the first president, steered the club through the somewhat troubled seas of its venture with a clever hand, until now it looks as though another branch of the Empire has added further honour to the famous name All Blacks. The first season the club entered a second division team, but before the season ended another fifteen was wearing All Black colours in the third division so many aspirants turning out it was necessary to start up another squad. The second division team won seven, lost six and drew two games ito finish third under Bud McCall, the first captain. Fine Coaching. In its second season the club gained the force .which is partly responsible for its success to-day. Tommy Roxburgh came out from Scotland, where •He played for the famous YVatsonians and gained his Trial cap, the next best thing to being an international. He threw in his lot with the newly-or-ganised club and lent his valuable experience in every way possible. So helpful was it, along with the fine coaching of Don Doige, coach since the club’s inception, that the team captured tlfe second division crown with ten victories against two losses. Determined to uphold tne name of All Blacks, the club entered! first division Rugby and made a magnificent shoeing, winning the Tisdall Cup with seven victories, two losses and two draws. The team next beat Ex-Magee, winner of the Miller Cup series, in the play-off for the Vancouver City title by six points to nil. Not content with this, the side went across to Vancouver Island. to play Victoria for the championship of British Columbia. The invaders were not conceded a chance against the strong capital city fifteen, but to revert to an old moth-eaten, but appropriate phrase, quite brutally upset the “dope bucket” ,by handling them a 13-0 defeat.