RUGBY DISPUTE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 133, 7 June 1929, Page 3

RUGBY DISPUTE.

UNIONS AT VARIANCE.

PLAYERS' RESIDENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

THAMES, this day.

Thames Rugby Union considers the action of the Paeroa Rugby Union very unsporting in view of the fact that Thames only recently held a conference with Paeroa agreeing to allow Paeroa to play three Thames players in the Paeroa competition. The action complained of is that at a meeting of the Thames Valley union yesterday evening, when Mr. J. W. Silcock ot Paeroa presided, the Union reported for decision in Wellington by the New Zealand Rugby Union the action of A. Dobson playing for Thames. Since his home is in Thames, and he w r ent there from Waihi each week-end, he was allowed play. This, the Thames union maintains, is no different from the cases of Terry Vangioni (ex captain Wanganui) and A. Buchanan, who, Mr. Silcock stated, both lived at Paeroa but played in the Thames and Thames Valley union matches respectively.

It was decided to draw the Auckland union's attention to the facts, asking for action.

When the above statement was shown Mr. J. W. Arbury, president of the Thames union, by a "Star" representative, he stated lie was surprised at the action of the Thames Valley union. The position, so far as Thames knew, w r as that the union understood Vangioni had expressed a definite preference to play for Thames, since he had friends at Thames where Tie spent the bulk of his evenings and all his week-ends. Mr. Arbury stated it would be a pity if a player of Vangioni's calibre were lost to the game, since he had stated that if lie was not allowed to play "or Thames he would come' to Thames and reside there in any case, but would have to play golf.