RANFURLY SHIELD.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 120, 23 May 1928, Page 5

RANFURLY SHIELD.

SOUTH CANTERBURY'S CHALLENGE.

CXAIMS GAME BEFORE WAIRARAPA.

MR. S. P. WILSON'S PRAYER.

(By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.")

CHRISTCHURCH, this day.

The question of South Canterbury's and Wairarapa's challenges for the Ranfurly Shield exercised members of the Canterbury Rugby Union last evening. The New Zealand Rugby Union wrote asking the Canterbury Union to suggest a suitable date for the South Canterbury match.

The following Is a list of the dates on which official challenges in the hands of the Canterbury Rugby Union were received.:—South Conterbury, April 21; Hawke's Bay, May 16; Wairarapa, May

Mr. McPhail (chairman): Well, gentlemen, are we going to squeeze in South Canterbury first?

Mr. Wilson: We already have a fixture for July 18 (Wairarapa). It was decided to send a letter to South Canterbury stating that the Canterbury Union had already arranged one fixture. It had done so rather reluctantly, on account of the earliness in the season, but chiefly to fall in with Wairarapa's proposed southern tour. It was also decided to point out thai Canterbury would find it very hard to fit in a date for South Canterbury prior to July 18.

The Hawke's Bay Union intimated that it fully realised Canterury's difficulty regarding fixtures, but suggested September 12 as the date for a match in Christchurch, conditional on Canterbury's holding the shield on that date. Mr. Wilson: I move that we accept the challenge, and pray that we will be able to play it.

The challenge was accepted. Manawatu wrote confirming August 11 as the date for a shield game. It was stated that, provided Canterbury holds the shield, practically all challenge matches will be played on Wednesdays. Saturday Rugby 'patrons will be well catered for by New Zealand Union fixtures, the chief of which will be the Test match against the Waratahs.