RUGBY FOOTBALL

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 73, 28 March 1933, Page 13

RUGBY FOOTBALL

AUCKLAND UNION. PREPARATIONS FOR SEASON. LAST YEAR'S OFFICERS RE-ELECTED. About fifty delegates attended the annual meeting of the Auckland Jttugby Union at the Chamber of Commerce last night, when Mr. J. Arueil presided. The feature ot the meeting-was the general unanimity of delegates on the subjects discussed, and the re-election of all officers who had occupied positions last year. The chairman, in moving the adopticu of the annual report, complimented the committee on their work of the past season, and the complete manner in which they presented their report on the union's activities. He gave a short description of the conditions under which the game was played in his day, about 54 years ago, to indicate how very much things had been improved from the player's point of view. Mr. Arneil congratulated players who had achieved representative honours lust season, and the clubs that had won the several competitions. He paid tribute to the work of the referees. Mr. H. Frost seconded the motion, and stated that, as a member ot" the committee, he felt that it was only right that the members should have a comprehensive report placed before them. He hoped members appreciated that, and drew attention to the item showing that in the last ten years £3860 had been expended in sending teams on tour. He thought the standard of play here was as good as anywhere else in New Zealand. No doubt the province at the moment lacked the stars of the immediate past, but they had good all-round material, and the general standard was excellent. Without doubt there was no reason for pessimism about the Auckland standard, but he desired coaches to remember that the attractive open game could be played with success under the present rules. The report was unanimously adopted, as was the balance-sheet, without discussion. The following officers were elected:— Patron, his Excellency the GovernorGeneral, Lord Bledisloe; president, Mr. J. Arneil; vice-presidents, same as last vear; hon. treasurer, Mr. A. J. Billington; hon. auditor, Messrs. C. Bayliss and A. A. Lucas; hon. solicitor, Mr. J. L. Oonlan, hon. country adviser, Mr. L. Knight; hon. Press representative, Mr. T. Buchanan, management committee, Messrs. H. *rcst, A. St. C. Belcher, G. Nicholson, K. Sutherland, A. A. Baker, E. Wright,. C. T Keegan, J. H. Muir; resident repieentative on N.Z.R.U., Mr J G Roche; sole selector. Mr. F. E. Sutherland. On the motion of Mr. A. Belcher the meeting agreed to an amendment of rule 62 to enable referees who had ref ereed three rep.' matches in one season or tour such matches over a period to be awarded a blazer similar to the representative blazer, but with the word "Referee embroidered on the badge thereof. An addition to the rule was also authorised by which the award was made retrospective, wth the condition that in the atter case the referee purchase the blazer at huMWn expense. The motion was worded to make clear that the matches covered are those between major unions, or major unions and a visiting overseas team, or between inter-Island teams. . The Eastern Suburbs Club, a combination of the former Panmure. Penrose and Ellerslic Clubs, was admitted as a club having senior B status. "JOCK" RICHARDSON IN SYDNEY. CAN HE COME BACK? (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, March 24. A few days ago football enthueiasts here were "thrilled to the heart's core by the news that two of the greatest, of.the All Blacks, Cooke and 'Jock Richai dson, &ere to be eeen in ackon-in Sydney thi* wfnteF - So far. "u Cooke is concerned, their hopes were not to be realised, foi the Balmain Club, which meant tc.secure him for the League, found his terms toe S, and had to drop the negotiations But Richardson is actually, here, living a| Manly dnd he has definitely announce that he Will Play for "the ™tage» » the Rugby -Union competitions. When Rich, ardson first came over the 1 ™ was that he would be content to act u coach, but the temptation to play agair has proved too strong;. f«r 'Jock to re sist. But the question whether he « wise in attempts it, or whether he ca make the experiment a success, is still t be answered. There is no doubt tha Richardson stands in the "small am select" class of really great forwards. On of our local "fans" has waxed eloquent th : week on the subject of Richardson i merits "I doubt whether I have eve seen a greater forward, the .Brownlee, and all thrown in. He was an intens, rucker magnificent in the line-out a peer dribbler and as dangerous in the opei as anybody else." But he is 31 year old now, and he hae not P ayed for lorn, seasons. Having seen Richardson at hi best I am prepared to endorse all tha his admirers have said about him, bubcan he "come back?

SCOTLAND BEATS ENGLAWP.

LONDON, March 19. Defeating England 3—o at Murrayfield on SatSday, Scotland retained its unbeaten recorf In this season's internationals. Th°re were 70,000 people present England suffered through injuries, and Scotland's try was rather lucky.

MERCURY BAY UNION.

The annual meeting of the Mercury Bay KuS.y Union was held at Whitianga Mr. A B White, president, occupying the chair. One new team was admitted, to be known as the Kaimarama. • Mr A B. White was again elected Mr. Cecil Forster, secretary; Sβ il. Minlfie, Frith. T. McCarthy, MidtUemass and J. W. Smith, management rnmmlttee • Mr. Arnold Morley, i sole selccCorbett, delegate to the parent union. ■ .

LATE G. F. ILES,

George Frederick lies, who died at Tauranga yesterday at the age of 39 years, was a prominent League footballer in Auckland immediately after the" war. In 1919 he played for Jvew Zealand against a visiting Australian team, and he also represented Auckland regularly at that period. Thirteen years ago he went to Tauranga, where he was associated with a brother in the establishment of a wool and hide export business. Reinstated as a Rugby Union player, he took a prominent part in that game for Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty, with which team he played against the Springboks in 1921. Born in Christehurch, Mr. lies came to Auckland when lie was 18 years of age. He is survived by his widow and two young BCfis.