RUGBY FOOTBALL

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22073, 22 April 1937, Page 7

RUGBY FOOTBALL

AMENDED RULES THIS SEASON NEW ZEALAND UNION'S DECISION RETURN OF WING-FORWARD OPPOSED (FSMS JLSSOCIATIOH TKLEGBAJt.i WELLINGTON, April 21. The New Zealand Rugby Union, at the annual meeting of delegates, decided to adhere to the amended rules for the present season, but agreed that the international rules should be played during the trial matches to select the All Black team to meet the Springboks in the tests, when international rules will be played. Mr J. N. Millard, for the Wellington Union, moved: "That it be a recommendation to the New Zealand Union that all club and representative matches this season be played under the international rules regarding kicking into touch, until after the conclusion of the South African tour." . Dr. W.,S. Seed (Canterbury) moved an amendment that the game be played in New Zealand this season under the international rules only in trial matches. Mr N. A. MeKenzie (Hawke's Bay) supported the amendment, remarking that the amended rules led to more unorthodox "play than did the international rules. The Springboks knew the international rules by heart, and New Zealand would have a better chance of beating the South. African team by unorthodox play. Dr. Seed withdrew his amendment. On being put to the vote, the Wellington remit was lost. Mr Millard then moved that trial matches and the inter-island match be played under the international rules. This was carried. Scrum Formation The following remit was put forward by Taranaki: "That in the coming season the New Zealand Rugby Union revert to the 2-3-2 scrummage formation, <rith the wing-forward." Mr J. Sullivan, moving the remit, contended that the 2-3-2 scrum was infinitely superior to any other iorma--1 Hon. Mr N. A. MeKenzie said that Hawke's Bay was in sympathy with the Taranaki remit. New Zealand had now tried three men in the front row of the scrum, and had not made a success of it. It was impossible to send a short pass to the backs with the present farcical scrum formation. Mr M. F. Nicholls (Wellington) said he considered that two men could not get the ball from three men in the front of the scrum. The remit was lost on the voices. Mr H. Frost (Auckland) asked if there was any agreement about the duration of spells in interprovincial matches. Some unions played 40 minutes and others 45 minutes. The extra 10 minutes made a great deal of difference. Mr H. Harris (Otago) moved that all Interprovincial matches in New Zealand this year should be played in 45-minute spells. The motion was carried. Visit of Japanese Mr A. E. McPhail (Canterbury) brought up the possibility of issuing an invitation to the All-Japan Rugby Union to send a team to New Zealand to return the tour made recently by the New Zealand University team, and moved that the question be further considered by the union. The New Zealand University Rugby Council would like to see the New Zealand Rugby Union give further consideration to the question before turning.it down finally. Mr S. S. Dean said the management committee of the New Zealand Union

had gone carefully into the cost of bringing a Japanese team to the Dominion, and considered it would be too expensive in view of the drawing power of a Japanese team. He considered the loss on bringing a Japanese team to New Zealand would be nearer £2OOO than £IOOO. On Mr McPhail offering to guarantee any loss on the visit from the Japanese, the motion was carried. It was decided to allocate £750 to school football for the year. SPRINGBOKS' TOTJR ADMISSION CHARGES FOR MATCHES PROGRAMME OF TRIALS ARRANGED I (PgESS ASSOCIATION TJtLEQIUM.) WELLINGTON, April 21. At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union to-day, Mr S. S. Dean announced that the following charges had been decided on for the visit of the South African team:— Admission to the ground for provincial matches 2s, test matches 2s 6d; school children at provincial matches Is, test matches Is; enclosures, provincial matches 3s 6d, test matches 5s 6d; temporary stands, provincial matches 5s 6d, test matches 7s 6d; main stands, provincial matches 7s 6d and 10s, test matches lis and £l. Some delegates considered the charges for stands too high. Mr Dean said that the charges were the same as those for the English team's tour. He did not consider the charges excessive. Selecting Teams A programme of trials to be played for the selection of the New Zealand team to meet the Springboks was announced. The North v. South match and trial matches are all to be played at Wellington from July 10 to July 17, as follows: Saturday July 10—North Island v. South Island and a trial match. Monday, July 12—Trial matches. Wednesday, July 14—Trial matches. Saturday, July 17—Trial matches., In the last trials a probable New Zealand team will meet the next fifteen. The oth r match on the same day will be between teams chosen from the ance of the players in the preceding trials. Provisional nominations are to be in the hands of the New Zealand Rugby Union by June 7, and any additional nominations by June 30, separate nominations to be made for the North-South match and lor the trials. The North Island selectors will choose the North Island team, and the South Island selectors will choose the South island team. The usual interprovincial matches, which have been played on June 3 in recent years, are to be played on June 9. CONSTITUTION CHANGES ADOPTED MR R. T. MEREDITH ELECTED PRESIDENT OTBSaS ABIOOIATIOII riLEOBAU.) WELLINGTON, April 21. Changes in the constitution of the New Zealand Rugby Union were adopted at the annual meeting of the Union to-day. The changes followed a suggested rearrangement of the constitution put forward by Mr A. M. Ongley, on behalf of the Manawatu Union. The proposals provided for a Rugby Council being substituted for the management committee. The present rule for the management committee, it was suggested, should be deleted and a rule substituted to provide for a council of 14, one of whom should be president: the others to be elected at tho annual meeting of the New Zealand Union, three of whom must be necessarily resident in the South Island and three in the North Island, no union to nominate more than one such representative; and the seven others to be elected and form an executive committee. • The removal of the council, or of any member thereof from office, would be on a two-thirds majority of votes at a special meeting; the election of a new council or members ,to proceed forthwith; the council to be the man- ' agement committee, and the decision of the executive committee to be final and binding on all matters delegated to it, unless appealed against in accordance with the rules of the union. For the year 1937 it was proposed that the president, vice-presidents, and members of the council should be elected from the delegates to the annual meeting, and for succeeding years from persons nominated by the affiliated unions, the council to elect a chairman at its first meeting. The proposals were discussed in detail and were adopted, with minor adjustments in the committee's recommendations. Under the new constitution the fol- ' lowing officers were elected—Patron, the Governor-General, Lord Galway; president, Mr R. T. Meredith (Southland); vice-presidents, Messrs A. M. Ongley (Manawatu) and M. McKenzie (Marlborough); council, Messrs A. A. Adams (West Coast), D. M. Spedding (Otago), A. E. McPhail (Canterbury), : G. A. Maddison (Hawke's Bay), A. St. C. Belcher (Waikato), Dr. G. J. Adams (Wanganui). .TEAMS FOR SATURDAY \ MERIVALE CLUB i First Grade v. Old Boys, at Lancaster Park South—W. Laffey, E. Drake, J. Maxwell, B. Hudkin, R. Downie, H. Forbes, W. Jarman, G. King, N f Bouterey, B. Clarke, J. Howard, B. Roberts, M. Stanley, R. Sneddon, A. Bourne, M. Sellars, G. Coates, N. Forward. Second Grade v. Old Collegians, at Malvern Park—J. Chappie, J. Kite, C. McKinney, P. Cameron, J. Davison, G. Sanson, J. Evans, S. Pendrlgh, W. Hurrell, M. Hegarty, E. Hansen, G. Wright, A. Charteris, A. Bell, A. Sutherland, I. Chalmers, G. Menzles, A. Earl, W. Murphy. Fourth Grade v. Athletic, at St. Albans Park —W. Barker, C. Johnson, M. McCausland, R. Fuller, L. Prebble, M. Stammers. K. Noonan, J. Hayes, S. Taylor, M. Selwood, L. Tibbotts, W. Cunningham, N. Chaplin, P. Hathaway. N. Tabley, L. Pimrtl, H. Drummond, T. Don. Fifth Grade v. Albion, at Bradford Prrk --T. Robertson, G. Fisher, L, A'Court, L. Black, L. Parkes. M. Drake, M. Smith, P. Moore, W. Williamson, M. Eaton, V. Harvey, C. Mortimer, R. Norrie, C. Kirk, J. Newton, H. Pltama, S. Lightfoot, J. Taylor, N. McAliece, T, Brady, T. Forbes, E. Robertson, D. Pottlnger, M. West, R. Prebble. , Under 18 Years Grade v. Llnwood, at Woolston Park—Li. Hamilton, A. Cusack, K. Turner, C. Trotter, C. Booth, D. Bailey, I W. Henley, J. Upton, W, Drake, J. Rolton, C. Thackwell, D. Anderson, R. Crouch, R. Woolford. G. Pauling, F. Leadbetter, E. Bate, L. Righton. A. White, R. Alexander, N. Leigh, P. Watson. Under Bst v. Llnwood, at St. Albans Park. 1.30— C. Papps, W. Toblcks. J. Warren, M. Toblcks, H: Taylor, O. Selwood, C. Bennett, C. Kennett, C. Colombus, W. Merrln, T. McCllntock, J. Talt, R. Noonan, D. Briggs, V. Priest. Under 7st v. Richmond, at Lancaster Park West, at 1.30—p. Bonisoh, A. Drake, K. Selwood, N. Pyne, A. Roltpn, W. Hannah, H. Hammersley, A. Candlish, P. Pyne, M. Gordon, A. Clough, D. Farrell, A. Sandford. V. Walker, W. Savage, N. Jones, G. Bushell. 4639 UNIVERSITY CLUB Senior v. Christchurch, at Lancaster Park West, at 2.30 p.m.—l. O. Stace, P. E. Bridges. J. N. Matson, L. T. Martin, C, W. WilUams, C Dalton, C S. Walter, P. G. Roberts. J. J, MoAullffe, A. L. Ellis, B. G. Overton, A. G» HUnter, «L D, CarI michael. W, V. Hadfleld, N. B. Manssen, *e. SC, Wilson, D, McCermick, A, J, Lake,