RUGBY FOOTBALL

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26944, 21 January 1953, Page 8

RUGBY FOOTBALL

RANFURLY SHIELD CHALLENGE CANTERBURY’S PLANS FOR NORTHERN TOUR ‘ Normally it was not the Canterbury Rugby Union’s policy to make special challenges for the Ranfurly Shield, but as the Canterbury team w’as to tour the North Island this year and would be near the Waikato, the present holders of the shield, it was hoped that a shield match could be arranged with Waikato. Mr R. R. Masters, president of the Canterbury union, gave this answer to "The Press” last evening, when asked if the union was contemplating lodging a challenge for the shield, especially as several unions had already lodged challenges. "The whole question of a challenge will depend entirely on how the fixtures are arranged at the annual meeting of the New Zealand union,” said Mr Masters. "Normally, when on the northern tour, Canterbury does not play Waikato, but because we will be playing Auckland, and will be in the vicinity of Waikato, it is hoped that a match—to be played as a shield match—will be arranged. It is not the union's normal policy to issue special challenges, but in this case a shield match with Waikato would virtually amount to a special challenge, as a match with Waikato would not be played normally on tour. "My view is that if we cannot get a fixture against Waikato the management committee might not favour a special journey for one match alone. But that rests with the committee. As far as I can see nothing is to be gained by lodging a challenge until the fixtures are arranged at the annual meeting, but it may be the view of the committee that we should get a challenge in now. The committee will meet next month and no doubt this will be discussed,” said Mr Masters.