MERIVALE RUGBY CLUB WILL IMPROVE RECORD

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28530, 8 March 1958, Page 5

MERIVALE RUGBY CLUB WILL IMPROVE RECORD

FgW Christchurch Rugby clubs ; have had such a wide experi- ' gju-e of the glories of victory and ' tlje humiliation of defeat as jferivale. The winning of the D.C-L Shield in 1890, ’9l, ’93, 1901, .no *l2, ’lB and ’3l, the Evans Shield in 1924, ’27, and ’3l, the CJLU. Challenge Cup in 1926, ’2B and *3l» the Redpath Shield in 1926, *27, and ’2B, and the Payne Trophy, against Southern (Dun- ; gdin), at Lancaster Park in 1931, eave no hint of a slump to come later. Three years ago the club lost jts senior status, going down to senior reserve and had to fight hard to regain its position. Last season there was evidence of the beginnings of a revival in standards and club officials and players alike are determined that they will maintain this progress. Facilities The 700 members of the club,, players and supporters, lack little in facilities for their training and for maintaining their interest. An old two-storeyed house in Madras street, bought four years ago. has been converted by the voluntary work of members into a fine meeting and training place. The age and honour of ti e game and tt.e club are recalled by the photographs of old teams that look down from the walls of the main room and gymnasium, in-

terspersed with bright shields of the colours of the teams that Merivale plays each season. In pride of place are two beautiful boards, listing those who were killed in the World Wars. Upstairs are the billiards room and committee rooms. Plans for extensions include the building of a new gymnasium behind the rooms on land which the club owns back towards the M.E.D. buildings. Much of the ordinary physical training for players is done at the rooms under R. Luscombe, a physical training instructor and member of the senior side. As for other clubs, training is held at the lighted grounds at Hagley Park two nights a w£ek, but after that players return to the club for P.T. Runs are also held on the beach at Brighton. Training The club has already begun its training programme for next season for it attaches • some importance to its annual fixture with Alhambra (Dunedin) at Easter. Drawing its recruits from the Elmwood, St. Albans, Wairakei, Paparoa street, Waimairi, Ham road and Fendalton primary schools, the club has 360 schoolboys on its books. It arranges

a nursery for even the youngest of them to teach them the fundamentals of the game. This week it held a meeting to form a parents’ association to arrange trips for schoolboys, financed by bring and buy sales. Next year three schoolboy teams, as well as two grade teams, will travel to Dunedin for the Alhambra diamond jubilee. Mainly because of the generosity of a lot of good supporters, the club is able to supply both socks and jerseys for its schoolboy teams as well as jerseys for all grades. Cricket Teams The Merivale club is an all-the-year-round one, for in the summer it enters four teams of Rugby players in the Suburban cricket competition." According to one official “It keeps the players together.” There is also a plan afoot to run indoor bowls at the rooms. The club's great names, including 12 All Blacks, may have been disappointed at the decline in the senior record over recent years, but they could not help but be impressed by the efforts at rejuvenation through the enthusiasm of men like the president (Mr R. W. Blazey), the club captain (Mr F. Dick) and the senior coach (Mr A. Palmer).