RUGBY TEAM HONOURED

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21085, 9 February 1934, Page 13

RUGBY TEAM HONOURED

| « | | DEFENCE OF RANFURLY j SHIELD ! LANCASTER PARK BOARD'S APPRECIATION • Jn recognition of the Canterbury Rugby team's fine performance in retaining the Ranfurly Shield in the '[ face of a long succession of strong j challenges last season, the Lancaster | Park Board of Control entertained the | players last evening and presented j each one of them with a photograph of j the team. The 1933 Canterbury team i was referred to by members of the i board as one of the finest the province had had, and the opinion was expressed that with the youth and spirit at present among the players the 1934 team would be even more magnificent.

Mr H. H. Wauchop, chairman of the board, presided. He congratulated and thanked the team on behalf of the board. Mr W. H. Winsor spoke on behalf of the Canterbury Cricket Association, and Mr R. Beattie on behalf of all other amateur sports.

Mr Wauchop said that the Canterbury team had done well for Rugby football, for the board, and for supporters of the game in Christchurch. The board thought it fatting that it should give some memento of the sterling performances put up during the season. As a follower of football and all amateur sport, he had a great privilege in making the presentation. Canterbury was justly proud of the record of the province in Rugby football. A I''inc Record Canterbury had taken the shield in 1031, and in that year had resisted one challenge: in 1932 it had defended the shield six times, and in 1933 had capped these performances by stalling oil eight challenges. A great deal of the success was clue to intensive training, during which the selector, Mr J. T. Burrows, had been ably assisted by the manager, Mr H. E. Davis, and the captain, Mr A. I. Cottrell. Cottrell had been an inspiring example on and off the Held. Canterbury had had many captains, but in his opinion it had never had a better one than Cottrell. He considered Mr Burrows an ideal selector, one who did not bow to public opinion as so many selectors in all games did; he had gone on iti his own quiet way and selected one of the best teams Canterbury had had. It was only during the last two years that the board had been able to provide Jootball and other sports with th<- accommodation 'hey deserved. K the revenue continued as it had do.ie last season, the park would be a credit not only to Christchur<;h and to Canterbury, but to the whole of the Dominion. Me Moloney, as a member of the board and of the Rugby Union, said that the board was proud of the support recei\ed from the game of Rugby. With the vouth and spirit it would have, the 1934 team should be one of the most magiiil'.ccnt the province had ever had.

Improving the Park The extent to which the welfare of Lancaster Perk was dependent on Rugby football patrons and players was emphasised by Mr Winsor. He said that every amount taken at the gates went, to the improvement of the ground. It was a pleasure to have ■Mich a team as the one that had defended Ihe shield in it was to be hoped that they would keep on winning, and accommodation might then be obtained for 50.000 spectators at Lancaster Park. If this could be done for a population of 130.000. it would be a great work. He hoped that the day would come when cricket could draw such large crowds as football did, but at present it was upon Rugby that the board depended mainly for its revenue. Mi - Beattic congratulated the team cm behalf of all amateur sports. The Ranfurly Shield had been won and retained, he said, by a real team, with spirit and a determination to win. It liad played not as several units, but as a team, and its team methods had brought it so far. Work for Amateur Sport Proposing the toast of "The Canterbury Team." the chairman said that lancnstcr Park had been saved for Canterbury for amateur sport; he took i' that every member of the team was an amateur sportsman. As long as the amateur spirit; prevailed Avoulcl be clean, and such contests as those seen in the past would be icnoated. e n Tvlr H K Davis, manager of the team, said that as a member of the Rugby Union he had been able to act as a 'link between the union and the players The union greatly appreciated the work of the board of control, and anything that could be done to repay it the team endeavoured to do by its Pl Mr Cottrell said that the team appreciated this opportunity of getting together. Tie assumed that' it had been invited to this gathering not because it kept on winning, but because it kept on trying. The lean) had been very fortunate in many ways. It was the luckiest team alive to have had ■i like Mr Burrows and a manager like Mr Davis. Playing in it had been a joy, all through the season. Mr Wauehop then presented a photograph of the team to each membe)". to Mr Burrows, and to Mr Davis. Mr A. E. McPhail, president of the Rugby Union, thanked the board for the honour it had done to the team in arranging this function. Selector's Retirement | Mr Burrows also thanked the board | for the honour it had given the team, i He was regretful that he was unable | Ic continue as selector of the team during the coming season. His period as selector had been, to him, a valuable experience, which he hoped would stand him in stead for the rest of his lifp.

Further toasts honoured were: "The Canterbury Rugby Union," proposed by Mr W. C. Flewellyn, and supported by Mr C. S. Thompson, and responded to by Mr A. E. McPhail and Mr E. V. Phillips; "Mr W. L. King, Chairman of the Grounds Committee of the Lancaster Park Board," proposed by the chairman: "The Chairman,'' proposed by Mr Moloney: and "Charlie Oiiver and Tommy Mullan," proposed by Mr I.TcPhail. ALL BLACKS' TOUR OF AUSTRALIA I'KOI'OSED ITINERARY SYDNEY, February 8. The Queensland Rugby Union has accepted the itinerary proposed by the New South Wales Union for the All Blacks' tour next season. This strengthens New South . Wales.'s approach to the New Zealand Union for endorsement of its programme. The Victorian Union has not yet replied.