RUGBY FOOTBALL

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21734, 17 March 1936, Page 15

RUGBY FOOTBALL

KICK-INTO TOUCH ; RULE SEVERAL CLUBS EXPRESS 1 OPINIONS Support for the adoption of the kick-into-touch rule for Rugby football during the coming season and disagreement with the adoption of the 2-3-2 scrum were expressed at the annual meeting of the High School Old Boys' Football Club last evening, when a letter was received stating that the introduction of both rules locally would be moved at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Football Union. It was decided to instruct delegates to the union to vote in favour of the kick-into-tcuch rule and against the 2-3-2 scrum. There was a brief discussion, opened by Mr W. C. Dailey, who said that he agreed with the kick-into-touch rule, but ,he did not think that it, was advisable to go back to the 2-3-2 scrum. It was admitted by everyone that the British footballers had played bright football. Mr R. H. North supported Mr Dailey’s remarks, saying that the ball would still remain at the back of the scrum, even if the 2-3-2 formation were adopted. “The standard of football cannot be improved by legislation,” said Dr D. McK. Dickson, “I only know the 2-3-2 scrum, but the three-fronted scrum is a better hooking scrum. If the kick-into-touch rule is adopted 1 am afraid the grubber kick will come back.” Mr S. S. Baird spoke in favour of the kick-into-touch rule and against the 2-3-2 scrum. The club captain, Mr J. H. Harris, said that the rules were against the 2-3-2 scrum and that it did not seem that they would be altered. It would be foolish to play it locally. The kick-into-touch rule would make for brighter football. Football in Christchurch had been dull for the last few years, and this rule would brighten it It was not rules, however, but players that made good football. The Merivale Football Club also de-* cided last evening to instruct its delegates to the union that the club was in favour of the kick-into-touch rule as it was in operation in 1931. The University Club also discussed the proposed amendments to rules, and decided to instruct its delegates to support the amendments. DECISION OF ATHLETIC CLUB A decision that the club’s delegates to the Canterbury Rugby Union bo instructed to vote for the reversion to the 2-3-2 rule and the old kick-into-touch rule, was carried at the annual meeting of the Athletic Rugby Football Club last night. An amendment to the motion, that the matter be left to the delegates was lost. The chairman asked why should the scrum be altered to suit England. Young players who showed great proniise had had football kicked out of them before two seasons were gone. It was too muqh for them. MERIVALE CLUB ANNUAL MEETING HELD Disappointment with the club’s position in the Rugby competitions last season was expressed by the chairman (Mr A. E. White) at the annual meeting of the Merivale Football Club, which was held last evening. A satisfactory state of the club’s finances was shown by the balance-sheet, with a credit balance of £SO 14s, stated the annual report. That was an increase of £ll 4s on the previous year’s surplus, and was mainly due to the assistance received from the social department. Teams had been entered in seven of the Canterbury Rugby Union’s competitions, but with the exception of the third and the fourth teams, the results of the competition games had been poor. The teams had played 106 matches, winning only 33. No competition had been won by the club, and the positions of the teams had been worse than for many years past. It had. been very disappointing to all supporters of the club. In moving the adoption of the annual report, the chairman said that he had been very disappointed with reference to the club’s position in the competitions. It was one of the worst seasons the club had experienced for 50 years. The footballers themselves had not deteriorated, but they should train and work up combination, if they were to win matches. The report was adopted. Officers were elected as follows: — President, Mr A. E. White; last year’s vice-presidents were re-elected, with the addition of Messrs W. A. Drake, V, J. Drake, E. Marriner, artd J. Freeman; club captain, Mr R. W. Blazey; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr A. Duggan; committee, Messrs N. Carnegie, J. Donaldson, A, Pedder,. R. Smart. G. Seymour, and W. Lodge; delegates to the Canterbury Rugby Union, Messrs A. Duggan, R. W. Blazey, W. Maxwell, and E. W. Hazel; hon. auditors, Messrs R. W. Blazey and W. Maxwell; delegate to the Canterbury Athletic Sports Protection Association, Mr W. G. Duggan. Mr W. Hislop was elected a lifemember of the club. The secretary (Mr A. Duggan) reported that the Alhambra Club had invited a Merivale team to play in Dunedin at Easter. It was decided that the club open the season next Saturday. SUCCESSFUL YEAR OLD BOYS’ CLUB A successful year both financially and in the performances of the teams was noted 6y the club captain of he High School Old Boys Football Club, Mr W. C. Dailey, in speaking to the report and balance-sheet, which were adopted at the annual meeting last evening. He sooke favourably of the large attendance, and referred with regret to the loss of Mr W. J. Dixon as secretary after a period of office of 15 It y wa r s S ‘decided that the opening date of the season should be March 28. A proposal was approved that a team should be sent to play the Txmaru Old Boys’ Club at Easter. The following officers were elected. Club captain. Mr J. H> Harris; deputyclub captain; Mr F. J. Foley; honorary secretary, Mr J. M Nome; honorary treasurer Mr S. G. Henry committee, C. “McPhail W. C. Dailey, e s Baird. W. J. Dixon, and R. Round; honorary auditor, Mr A. E. Byrne; .delegates to the Canterbury Rugby Union, Messrs W. C. Halley, J. H. Harris, A. Jacobs, and Dr. W. Votes of thanks were passed to the honorary auditor, Mr A. E- Byrne, the retiring officers, and the coaches. ATHLETIC CLUB ANNUAL MEETING A nroposal that an attempt should be made to returf the Vaining ground for the Manst Brothers fiftieth jubilee. which would be celebrated soon, was made at a meeting of the Athletic Football Club, which was held last night, by the chairman, Mr St. J *The D big e ioss the dub would suffer in the departure of Mr R. Wright, who was, the retiring secretary; was expressed by- Mr Dunne, It would bj very hard to.fill his position, said Mr Dunne.

The high position in which the club’s senior team had finished in the competitions was mentioned in the annual report. Reference was also made to the good performance of the second, fourth, fifth, and under 18 grade teams* Appreciation of the consideration and assistance which the Canterbury Rugby Union had given the club was also expressed in the annual report. The election Of officers resulted;— Patron, Mr J. F.McKendry; president, Mr St J. J. Dunne; vice-presidents, Messrs M. O’Connor P. KeUiher. T. E. Aspell, J. McKendry. J. M. Coffey, O. Watson. M. O’Brien. G. Dobbs, E. Doyle, R. Gbulding, Bradley Crowhurst, P. D. Shea, H. E. Radley, D. Fraser, E. . McDermott. P. D. O’Connell, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, the Hon. D,G. Sullivan, Dr. J. J. Fahey, and Dr. Reilly; club captain, Mr F. Corbett; secretary, Mr P. Sheehan;' assistant secretary. Mr L. Mahar; treasurer* Mr W. S. Mikkelson; committee, Messrs R. Daly, O. Scully, M. O’Reilly. R. Boland. R. D, Irvine. V, O’Connell, and R. Dunne; coaches, left to committee to appoint; delegates to Canterbury Rugbv Union, Messrs St. J. J. Dunnej F. Corbett. P. Kelliher. and W. S. Mikkelson; delegate to Sports Protection Association, Mr W. S. Mikkelson. ■ The opening day was fixed for March 28, and the first training night for March 24. UNIVERSITY CLUB’S JUBILEE YEAR ANNUAL MEETING HELD The annual general meeting of members of the Canterbury University College Football Club was held in the Students’ Association building last evening, more tban 40 members being present. At the suggestion of Mr J. K. Moloney, members rose for a few moments in memory of Messrs L. t. Thompson and F. J. Alley. It was resolved that messages of condolence should be sent to their relatives. The annual report and balance-sheet showed that the year had been highly successful, membership increasing, and a credit balance being shown. It was hoped that the alteration of the match against Victoria University College to a two-day visit, as in last year, would be adopted, eliminating the old system of arriving, playing, and departing on the same day. Club acknowledgments were extended to coaches, and congratulations to those Canterbury members of the University team which upheld the club’s name in the Japanese tour. Mr j, K. Moloney, reminding members that this, the club’s fiftieth year, was to be celebrated, called on the support of members in making the jubilee celebrations a success. He hoped that the invincibility of the 1928 team ’would be repeated in the team for the-jubilee year. Messrs R. H. Livingstone and K. J. G. Collins, introduced by Mr Moloney, gave details of the jubilee preparations, expressing the hope that members of all years since 1886 would be represented. Jubilee year would be opened by a match against the University of Otago. It was resolved that the coaching scheme this year would include blackboard talks, and the showing of a coaching film which it was hoped would be obtained shortly. It was resolved that March 28 be the opening day for the club. Officers elected for the year were: President, Mr J. K. Moloney; vicepresidents, Professors J. Shelley, R. Speight, S. Steele. L. G. Pocock, Drs. J. Eight, C. Farr, R. S. Allan, H. G. Denham, Canon S. Parr, Messrs C. Foweraker, D. I.'Macdonald, StrakerSmith, A. E. Flower, R. J. G. Collins, A, R. Blank, R. H. Livingstone; club captain, Mr H. C; Blazey; secretary, Mr G. A. Parsons; treasurer, Mr G. u Weston: committee members, Messrs J, D. Carmichael, I. O. Stace, D. J. Wilson, R. J. Rodger; honorary auditor, Mr C. H. Perkins; jubilee mittee, Messrs J. K. Moloney, R. H. Livingstone, R. J. G. Collins, R. Beattie, H. C. Blazey, D. I. Macdonald; delegates, Messrs R. Beattie, J. K. Moloney, D. I. Macdonald. TOUR OF JAPAN UNIVERSITY TEAM RETURNS enthusiastic report by MANAGER (PUSS ISSOCIATIOW TILIOBAM.) WELLINGTON, March 16. Seventeen of the New Zealand University Rugby players, with the manager (Mr P. Martin Smith) and Mr A. McPhail, of Canterbury, who travelled with the team, by the Makura from Sydney this rooming. Fifty or more pyjama-clad students from the Weir hostel welcomed them in student fashion. J Interviewed, Mr Martin Smith spoke enthusiastically of the type of football played in Japan, and also the hospitality showered upon them. The Y play a very good type of football, and they are exceedingly well trained and disciplined" he said. “Their team work is excellent, but they lack individual initiative somewhat. They play like a machine.” He said also that they were very keen to learn, as in other spheres, and the result was that towards the end of the tour it was noticeable that improved form was being displayed by them. They played delightful football in the final test. Scrum Formation They played a 3-2-2 scrum, the extra man being used sometimes as a rover and sometimes as in .ejrtra threequarter, called a seven-eighth, and he played usually halfway oetweeq the three-quarters and the full-back. The New Zealanders had to fall back on the 2-3-2 formation. He personally was satisfied that the 3-4-1 and 3-2-2 formations were not good. Difficulty experienced by the New Zealand forwards in the scrum was largely due to the fact that their opponents, being small and nuggety, Packed lower, and the New Zealanders’ weight was rende ‘‘A d fe l atm’e C of V the Japanese game was their passing, which is done at a great pace,” said Mr Martin Smith. They pass and pass until a-man is free, and then Ire goes through There is very little real effort to beat man, ai though in the final test they were coming through quite a bit. New Zealand team took a while to setae down. The grounds had turf, and in Japan a particularly cold winter was experienced.” Sickness and Injuries Considerable difficulty was experienced at times in fieldmg a thQroughly fit team because of a good deal of sickness and a large number of injuries. Against Hong Kong they were forced to play seven forwards and eight backs, as no fewer than five forwards were not available. However, all had recovered. . The tourists felt that a great deal of good had been done by the visit, which had enabled the students of the two" countries to get to know one another and understand something of the problems of the two countries. In As four weeks’ stay in Japan the team saw much of interest, and all members were delighted with their experiG One member, Hudson, from Canterbury College, stayed behind to pursue his studies in structural engmeering, with special reference to earthquakeresisting construction. At a farewell dinner on the eve of the team’s departure eulogisuc reference was made by Japanese officials to the football played by the New Zealanders and especially to the way they had been thorough gentlemen on all occasions. Members of the team formed many deep friendships with the Japanesie with whom they came in contact, and found tne Japanese people gracious, hospitable, and kindly hosts.