CANTERBURY RUGBY TEAM RETURNS

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26196, 21 August 1950, Page 6

CANTERBURY RUGBY TEAM RETURNS

Welcome By Crowd Of More Than 5000

A crowd estimated to be between 5000 and 6000 thronged the Christchurch Railway Station and Moorhouse avenue yesterday morning to welcome members of the Canterbury Rugby team which won the Ranfurly Shield from Otago last Wednesday by 8 points to nil. Two bands, the Crichton Cobbers’ Band and the Woolston Band, were also present Half an hour before the excursion train, on which the team travelled from Timaru, arrived, there were hundreds of enthusiastic followers of Rugby on the station, the Manchester street overhead bridge being occupied at every vantage point, and as the time of arrival approached the station was uncomfortably crowded. •

Men and women with children in arms mixed with _ the crowd and had difficulty in getting clear when the train arrived and the crowd surged to Moorhouse avenue, where the welcome to players had been arranged to take place. Football club members in coloured blazers were eager to meet their club-mates in the team, and two banners in big letters of blue on a white background bore the words, ‘‘Welcome to Our Warriors,” and “Vote Doug. Herman for Mayor.”

Policemen and traffic inspectors found plenty to do in controlling the big crowd, and cars were parked far down Manchester street and from Madras street to Colombo street on Moorhouse avenue. When the train arrived the enthusiasm of the crowd broke loose and loud cheers were given while the footballers were still in their carriage. Proudly bearing the shield the players were mobbed as they left the train, and had some difficulty in forcing a passage to Moorhouse avenue to receive a welcome from the Mayor (Sir Ernest Andrews). . The Canterbury Rugby Union had not expected such a crowd and no arrangements had been made for spectators to hear the Mayor’s .speech. Sir Ernest Andrews congratulated the team on its victory, and said that it was appropriate that New Zealand’s premier Rugby trophy should come to Canterbury during the centennial year. He said that he had had many messages from other parts congratulating

Canterbury on winning the shield and praising the splendid game played by the Canterbury men. He said that he hoped the province would hold the shield for long time. The men augured well, he said, for the province in its pursuit of healthy, outdoor sport. The captain of the team D. A. Herman, who was hoisted cn tne shoulders of admirers, thanked the citizens of Christchurch for a welcome unexpected in its enthusiasm. Had he known of it he would have left the train at Addington. He added that the team had pulled together to a man, and was proud to have won the shield in a great game. Canterbury had hopes of holding the shield for the centennial year at least.

The manager of the team, Mr J. O. Hattersley. said he was proud to have been in charge of a team which had given him so little trouble on or off the field.

[Photographs of the return of the Canterbury team appear on page 3.1