PRIMARY SCHOOLS’ RUGBY

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 14711, 1 July 1948, Page 2

PRIMARY SCHOOLS’ RUGBY

TAURANGA ENTERED IN TOURNAMENT SHIELD MATCHES AT ROTORUA Rotorua has been chosen as the venue for this year’s primary schools’ Rugby tournament to bo , held in August, and at the annual meeting of the Bay of Plenty Primary Schools’ Rugby Union at Matata, entries were received from Tauranga, Te Puke, Rangitaiki, Rotorua, Whakatanc and Opotiki.

It was decided to approach the New Zealand Rugby Union, through the Bay of Plenty union, for a grant of £SO as tournament expenses. The winning team will be awarded the Tai Mitchell Shield, and the runners-up, the Boynton Memorial Shield. Last year the tournament was held in Tauranga. The school representative teams will be drawn from the areas in the Bay of Plenty as designated by their parent sub-unions. At the meeting, members expressed the hone that a Bay of Plenty Primary Schools representative team could be selected from the ton v nament teams, and that an annual match with Thames Valley could be arranged.

Because the Auckland Primary Schools’ Rugby Union had decided to alter the conditions of the Roller Mills Shield, particularly in removing the weight limit, it was decided unanimously that no entry should be made from the Bay of Plenty.

Support was accorded the Thames Valley union in its move to have the 8 st. 7 lb. limit, rcinstituted. and to have a properly-constituted Auckland Provincial Schools’ Union in which provincial unions would have representation. At present, it was said, Auckland dictated the conditions of the shield matches. Members were gratified to know that the Bay of Plenty Union had granted full executive office to the schools’ union representative.