ON THE BALL!

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 50, 28 February 1935, Page 22

ON THE BALL!

RUGBY GETS READY. AUCKLAND UNION'S REPORT. NEW ERA OF PROSPERITY. Ihe annual meeting of the Auckland Rugby Football Union will be held on March 25 at the Agricultural and Pastoral Society's rooms, Albert Street. The report circulated yesterday states that in 1933 the union celebrated its jubilee, and appropriately strong evidence was forthcoming during 1934 that a new rnL l ' prosperity had commenced, ihis result had been attained by the renewed enthusiasm and untiring efforts of union and club officials, players and supporters, and to all these the committee e-xtends its sincere thanks. Regret is expressed at the loss suffered by the game in the deaths of Messrs. W. Harrison, M. Buckland, C. Caradus, A. Freeman, A. A. Hintz, C. F. Stratford, lx. H. Mason and Dynes Fulton. All these men were Rugby stalwarts in every sense.

Seven representative matches were played by the A team, three at home and four away. In Wellington the touring team made some amends for the heavy defeat at Eden Park in 1933, being narrowly defeated only in the last few minutes of the game. Auckland crowned this effort on the following Saturday when at Nap.er it wrested the Ranfurly ohield from Hawke's Bay in a wellfought game. Thus the Ranfurly Shield returned to Auckland after aa absence of 21 years, t r i ng fclle season eight new players, H J. McLean, L. Currey, H. S. Smith, J. D. gammon, T. Pearson, J. McGrory, E. Hedge and C. Murdoch, secured A representative honours, and R. G. Bush and C. I epper were members of the North island team for the annual fixture against the South. The following table summarises the results of the games played by the A team;—-v. Waikato, at Hamilton, won, i? i , i J" North Auckland, at Eden lark, lost, 6 to 17; v. Wairarapa, at Eden wir' C l leW ', 19 t0 19 = v " Wellington, at Wellington, lost, 13 to 16; v.. Poverty Bay at Gisborne, lost, 13 to 14; v. Hawke's iiay, at Napier, won, 18 to 14; v. Taranaki, at Eden Park, lost, 1.5 to 28.

Overseas Tours. . A New Zealand team visited Australia in August, playing eight matches, including two Tests against Australia in Sydney, os nrst Test was lost by 11 points to M, and the second resulted in a draw, tuiee points all. 'Ihe much-coveted BledisJoe Cup was won by Australia. The standard ot Rugby in Australia had considerably improved in recent years, and it was most pleasing to learn that the game had made such a decided advance in New oouth Wales and Queensland. Several important Rugby tours have , e . n . arranged for the next few years, of wuicli probably the most interesting will hc t'le visit of the All Blacks to Britain m 1J35. rhe committee nominated Mr. V. K. Meredith, the Auckland and New Zealand selector, to the important position of manager of the team, and he has been Kj n ? d Tr I the N cw Zealand Rugby Union. Ihe team will leave Wellington on July 31, and will play 28 lnclucl ! n 8 f°"r Teste. The vear lJ3b will see the visit of an Australian T, W, tbe Springboks will tour New South Wales a.tul New Zealand, i? connection with the Australian and British tours, a North v. South Island trial was played in Auckland on July 7, and it was the outstanding event of the season, an epic of wet-day football. The many flashes of brilliance will live long in the memories of all fortunate enough j°.,.Present. The frequent magnificent dribbling rushes during the game were in keeping with the highest traditions of Rugby. Auckland was represented in the North team by M. Corner, T. H. C. Caughey, W. Hadley, H. J. McLean and A. Knight, and all five found a place in the All Black touring team which visited Australia later in the season.

Grafton! Manukau! Grammar! No doubt the knowledge that the number of teams in each section was to be reduced was largely responsible for excellent play in the senior A club championship competition. Increased incentive to train and consequent greater combination and fitness produced exhibitions of sparkling footbalL Interest was maintained to the very last. Owing to the amended conditions, it was possible for the first time in many seasons to play the second round to a straight-out conclusion, which resulted in Grafton and Manukau scoring an equal number of championship points. Two play-offs were needed between these two teams before Grafton finally won the Gallaher Shield. The winners of the various competitions were:—Senior A grade, Grafton; senior B, Eden; second, Grafton; third, Technical Old Boys; third intermediate, Ponsonby; fourth, Grammar Old Boys; fifth, Eden; sixth, Manukau. The silver football trophy, presented to the club whose teams obtain the highest aggregate of championship points for the season, was won by Suburbs. The Jubilee trophy was presented to the union by the "Old Timers" during the jubilee year. After lengthy consideration, the committee decided that it should be awarded to the winners of a specjal knockout competition among the senior teams of all clubs. Grammar Old Boys was the winner of the competition. In the secondary and primary schools' competitions a fine standard of football was revealed.

Budget Shows a Surplus. A very satisfactory financial position is disclosed by the accounts, and full credit for this result must be given to the attractive displays of the senior club teams. Owing to the absence from the fixture list of important interprovincial matches at home income suffered somewhat in the latter half of the season. The total revenue from all sources amounted tc £3422, while the total expenditure was

£2979, leaving a not balance of £143, reduced to £91 by the customary grants to schools and charities of £352. The balance-sheet reveals a strong financial position. The accumulated funds now stand at £5797—they have increased by over 100 per cent during the last eight years. A notable deletion from the liabilities side of the balance-sheet is the loan item of £3500 from the Auckland Rugby Union trustees, made in 1919. This amount has now been redeemed, provision for its repayment having been made annually since 1919. There still remains a liability of £1600 to the New Zealand Rugby Union, the balance of a loan of £2000 raised when acquiring a half-interest in Eden Park.