RUGBY FOOTBALL

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23400, 6 August 1941, Page 8

RUGBY FOOTBALL

♦ SENIOR MATCHES TO CONTINUE

An assurance that senior football—although ■ not necessarily competition football—would be provided as late in the season as possible was given by the management committee of the Canterbury Rugby Union last evening. There were suggestions that the first section of the senior grade should be continued into a second round of matches, but the committee did not/commit itself to a definite programme for deciding the senior /championship. , ~' .. At present three teams are level in the first section, a complete round of which will -be finished on Saturday. Two of these teams. Army and Technical, will meet on Saturday, and the third of the leaders, New Brighton, will play Air Force. In the second and weaker section the complete round will not finish for three weeks. Albion has a half-point lead from Athletic in this section. The union has already decided that the competition shall be decided by a play-off between the section winners. „ . I A request was received from the university Club that the annual match between Canterbury and Victoria University Colleges, set down for September 13, should be played earlier, because the club would otherwise be without a match for five weeks. Flight Lieutenant J. D. Mackay said there appeared to be an impression that senior football would finish on Saturday. He thought the intention of the union was to continue as long as possible. “The press should make that clear," he said. “A lot of the players have that idea, too," said Mr H. C. Blazey. Later he asked If it was the Intention of the union to carry on after next Saturday. When the president (Mr E. V. Phillips) asserted that it was the first and foremost job of the. union to provide football fpr the players, Mr Blazey added that in’ his opinioti the senior games should go on whether or not the winner of the first section was found by Saturday, Mr said there might be two teams level on top after next Saturday's games. In that case a/iother Saturday would be needed for the play-off, and still another for the match between the section winners. Mr W. Maxwell (chairman of the competitions committee): Our recommendation was for eight teams in the first section. Cutting it down to six has thrown it out. Mr V. L. Jensen urged that the union should make some statement, even if a general one, that the union would provide football for some time to come. Many players seemed to think it might “fizzle out" in a couple of weeks. Flight Lieutenant Mackay said were still two free Saturdays this month.' and if it were desired to play a second round the matches could be continued concurrently with home representative matches. Mr Maxwell: We have a motion on the books lhat senior matches are off on those days. That would have to be rescinded. Mr W. A. Britten moved that the University. Club be informed that it was the Intention of the union to carry on with the competition. “With first grade football,” Interposed Mr Phillips. “I would not say competition, perhaps." Mr Britten accepted the amendment and the motion was carried. CRITICISM OF “ THE PRESS” REFERENCES TO DEPLETION OF TEAMS Exception was taken by a member of the management committee of the Canterbury Rugby Union at its meeting last evening to references in “The Press” to the effect of'the absence of representative players on the standard of senior matches and on public interest in the games. "I thought ‘The Press’ was a bit hard on us, on Monday morning, especially as they • are not giving us much publicity," said Mr M. T. Gunderson. "The report said that teams were short, and that races were on and that football would be of « poor standard for the next two Saturdays." Mr E. V. Phillips, the president, said the report certainly made a suggestion as to what next Saturday’s’ matches would be. Mr Gunderson said the report spoke of a poor standard of play, but the account of the match at Rugby Park made It appear that this was a first-class game. Mr. H. C. Blazey: The game at Rugby Park • was a cracker. Mr W. Maxwell said he thought the standard of matches at Lancaster Park tills season had been very high. “We are not playing for trophies this .season and. everyone is enjoying the games,” said Mr Phillips, and the discussion lapsed. Tile report referred to stated that the depletion of teams through the claims of the representative sloe, injuries, and other causes, detracted from Interest in Saturday’s senior games. It stated that the Standard of play in the main games fell far short of the best seen this season, and suggested that this, and the poor attendances—no doubt contributed to by the counter-attraction of the races—must cause the union to doubt its wisdom in deciding to continue the first section of the championship during the absence of the representative teams, especially as this gave a marked advantage to one team, the Army, whose players were not allowed to travel. The report suggested, that next Saturday's matches, the final round of the first section, might be similarly disappointing unless the union was prepared to change its programme. It also pointed out that as four teams had been level with two rounds of matches to be played, a keen and exciting contest for the leadership would, In other circumstances, have resulted. GOAL-KICKER NEEDED REPORT ON WELLINGTON MATCH "If we had had a goal-kicker in' the team undoubtedly we would have won, ’ said Mr R. W. Blazey, manager of the Canterbury Rugby team which was beaten by Wellington on Saturday, In his report to the management committee of the Canterbury Rugby Union last evening. Mr Blazey said two penalty kicks right under the posts, a kick from a try next to the posts, and a kick from a try half-way out, were all missed. , The young Canterbury team excelled themselves against what was reckoned one of the most powerful sides fielded by Wellington for years, said, Mr Blazey. He paid particular tribute to the play of the Canterbury captain, Herman. A crowd of 12,000 was kept in a high pitch of excitement. especially when Canterbury "gave it tile works" in the last quarter of an hour. , , . Mr Blazey added that he had instructions from the Canterbury Union about the length of the spells, on which there had been differences of opinion in tn<? past, Wellington favouring 45 minutes and Canterbury 40. "Unfortunately I think it we had had another five minutes we would have won.” (Laughter.) He added that the referee said It was the cleanest game he had ever controlled, and he himself thought It was one of the finest he had ever seen. REPRESENTATIVE TEAM R. Kilworth (New Brighton) is not available for the Canterbury team which will play Otago at Dunedin on Saturday, and his place has been rilled by R. MeCammon (Technical). J. H. Maxwell (Merivale) has been added to the emerS "The e team will train at the North Park to-morrow at 5 p.m.; if wet at the Canterbury College gymnasium. Herman will captain the team and Cartwright will be vice-captain. DRAW FOR SATURDAY

(Unless otherwise stated, all matches at 2.45.) First Grade.—New Br. v. Air Force, Rugby Pk.. 3 p.m.j Lin. v. 'Varsity, L.P. Oval, 1.15 p.m.; Army v. Tech., L.P. Oval, 3 p.m.; Athl. v. Wlgram, Show Gds., 3 p.m.; Ch.ch. v. Godley Hd., L.P. West, 3 p.ra.; Mer. v. South.. L.P. South, 3 p.m.; Alb. v. Sunnyside, Sunnyside, 2.30 P Second Grade.—South, v. Athl., South, win by default; Harewd. v. Alb., 13 N.P.; Trg. Coll. v. Tech., 31 S.P.; Coll. v. Ch.ch.. 11 N.P.; Beck. v. Mer., Beck. Pk.; Lin, v. ’Varsity, Rugby Pk.. 1.15 p.m.; Wig. v. Old Boys, 9 N.P. _ Trl ■ Third Grade A.—Lin. v. Kpol., St. James’ Pk.; Mer. B v. Sumner, Malvern Pk.; Met. A v. Athl., St. Alb. Pk.; New bye. Third Grade 8.-B.H.S. v. St. Bede’s, St. Bede’s: Sf. And. v. Chr. Coll., to be played later; ’Varsity v. Tech., 5 N.P.; West 0.8. v. Trg..Coll., Barrington Pk. 2; Old Boys, bye. Fourth Grade A.—Athl. v. Tech., 34 S.P.; K’poi. v. New Bri., K’poi. 1; Rich. v. ’Varsity, Rich. Pk.; Alb. v. Lin., Brom. Pk. Fourth Grade B.—Chr. Coll. v. BJi.S.. jSteavea rd„-13/8/41; West HA v. PM

Boys, 25 S.P.; Trg. Coll. v. Tech., Ensor’s rd.; Pap. Tech. v. Coll., Elmwood Pk; Ch.ch., bye. Under 17.—Tech. C v. Rich., 35 S.P.; Old Boys v. Tech, A, Barr. Pk. 1; Tech, B v. Mer., 2 N.P.; Alb. v. K’poi., Kaiapoi 2; New Br. v. South., Rawhiti Dom.; Lin., bye. Under Bst 71b.—Lin. v. Tech. A, L.P. South, 1.30 p.m.: K’poi. v. South., 12 N.P., 2.45 p.m.; Old Boys v. Tech. B, 11 N.P., 1.30 p.m.; Mer. v. Alb., 10 N.P., 1.30 p.m.. Under 7st (all I.3o).—South, v. Lin., Syden. Pk.; Rich. v. Mer., St. Alb. Pk. 2; New Br. v. Sunnyside. 29 S.P.; Athl. v. Tech,, 32 S.P.;. Alb. v. Beck., Beck. Pk. 2. Under sst 121b (all I.3o).—South. A v. Beck.. Opawa Pk. 1: Lin. B v. Lin. A, Bromley Pk.; South, B v. Alb., Opawa Pk. 2; New Br.. bye. —6