RUGBY FOOTBALL

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 222, 19 September 1929, Page 20

RUGBY FOOTBALL

SHIELD CHALLENGES. WANGANUI UNION'S REQUEST. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. At a meeting of the management committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union this evening a letter was received from the Wanganui Union asking for permission to fulfil its challenge for the Ranfurly Shield this season. The letter stated that Wanganui's challenge was of long standing, .and the union's committee was of opinioa that the fact that the shield had changed hands should not prevent existing challenges from being fulfilled. The letter was received, the chairman remarking that the New Zealand Union should lay down a rule that no challenge should be issued until a union actually held the shield. The South Canterbury Union wrote agreeing to fall in with the suggestion that its challenge to Southland for the Ranfurly Shield should be deferred until next season, on the understanding that it should receive prior consideration next year. The chairman announced that no replacements would be allowed in either the North Island v. South Island or the New Zealand v. Maori matches, as bothgarnes would be played under international board rules. Mr. K: Tahiwi, on ' behalf of the Maori Advisory Board, asked the union to define what constituted a Maori, in view of tie selection of the Maori team to play the New Zealand team at Wellington oil Wednesday week. It was .decided that the definition of a Maori should be in accordance with the definition laid down by the Maori Land Act, 1909, which limits Maoris to not less than half- castes. -

TARANAKI BEATEN.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) ' ? GISBORNE, Wednesday. The Taranaki Rugby team was hardly up to full strength for to-day's match against East Coast at Ruatoria, owing to the necessity of spelling men injured in the Hawke's I Bay game. Play was not spectacular, and the visitors failed to produce the expected form, Coast winning by 3 points to nil. An unconverted try decided the issue. Nepia played a great game for the winners, stopping many rushes by well-judged tackling, while his line-kicking was a feature of the match. Without him Coast must have suffered defeat, and It was noticeable that his confidence infected his team mates to a remarkable degree. The Taranaki pack was superior, but did not show finish in dribbling, and missed opportunities on the goal-line several times. The backs developed some good movements early in the game, but Inter had to depend 011 individual efforts in attack, owing to the Coast forwards' bustling tactics which broke up their combination. Walters, Guy and Robinson were the best of the Taranaki forwards, and Grant, Watson and Hunt excelled among the backs. For the Coast, Morete, Raroa, Reid TT llla wcnt well in the pack, and I epere, liana and Harrison were the'best of the backs.

PIAKO REPRESENTATIVES.

TE AROHA, this day. The Piako team to play „„ Hamilton on Saturday for the Peace Cm will oe selected from the following --fp „mi S. Goldsbury, K. and N. Ifwersen P J. McLaren. Nicholson, Raciiham ClnruArkle, Burr, Cleave, Stewart, Mn]™rpw' Riddle, Sampson, Brown, Clarkin, Good fellow, Dalton and Payne. ' ooa "

N. WAIROA REPRESENTATIVES.

• DARGAVILLE. this day. Mr. W, Kelly has selected the following team to represent Northern Wairoa in the Harding Shield game at on Saturday : —Full back, Wade;, three-quarters Wilson, Fergusson, Nathan; five-eiahths! Ijuvloa, Sowter; half-back., Ifunro: rover; Wells: forwards, Rika. Simmons, Watson' OUlAekl, Hemphill. Gould. Jones. Reserves ' Mftrtiu, White, Wilson, Gorrie, Niel.