Rugby COMMITTEE CONFIRMS GAME WITH AUCKLAND

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29189, 27 April 1960, Page 6

Rugby COMMITTEE CONFIRMS GAME WITH AUCKLAND

Canterbury will play Auckland on September 28 in a special game at Auckland, even if Auckland is not holding the Ranfurly Shield at that date. At the New Zealand fixtures meeting in Wellington earlier this month, Canterbury was offered and accepted a special challenge for the Ranfurly Shield on September 28, but at a subsequent meeting of the union’s management committee, no decision was made on playing the match if the shield had already been lost. Confirmation of the special challenge was contained in a letter from the Auckland union discussed at last evening’s meeting of the committee. The letter stated that the expenses of the team within the limit set down under the Ranfurly Shield rules, would be made by the Auckland union and that these arrangements would stand even if the match was not a shield one. “Accordingly we look forward to your visit,’’ said the letter. Now that the principle of variations in the rotation of tours by southern unions had been established, Auckland expected that Canterbury would tour again, basically, in 1964. said the letter. “We are, however, most anxious to establish yearly games with your union, on the basis of alternate home fixtures commencing this year. This will naturally give you the benefit of our return visit next year,” said the letter.

Canterbury would not have a very full programme next year, said the president (Mr H. C. Blazey). It was expected that matches would be played in Christchurch against Wellington, Counties, possibly Manawatu and Otago, and the Auckland game would be another. It had to be remembered that Canterbury had approached Auckland for more frequent matches, he said.

Discussion on the letter was mainly on expenses, what the financial arrangements were likely to be if Auckland travelled to Christchurch next year, and on the more frequent matches—a suggestion that Canterbury had sponsored.

As it was felt that Canterbury had requested more matches against Auckland, the committee decided that it must accept the match in Auckland on September 28, and that Auckland should be advised that Canterbury was agreeable to playing Auckland in Christchurch next year "subject to any Ranfurly Shield commitments,” Canterbury could have. Lighted Training Grounds Among the proposals that may be discussed among representatives of the committee, the clubs and the City Council’s reserves department, when a meeting is arranged, is the likelihood of clubs providing lighted training facilities at suburban parks. The union’s grounds committee was instructed to discuss all lighted training ground problems, including those at suburban grounds. In his report last evening Mr J. O. Hattersley said the clubs had appointed Messrs L. J. Buckley (Marist) and R. A. Clarke (Christchurch) to attend a meeting with the council. Elaborating on a suggestion made by Mr R. W. Thomas at a previous meeting, Mr C. H. McPhail said he felt that the committee might have been wrong in the past in trying to keep all training facilities in Hagley Park. Most of the other major unions subsidised clubs who erected lights at suburban grounds and he considered this could also be investigated in Christchurch.

Some clubs had tried to make such arrangements, but had met with no success, said Mr Hattersley. Other matters dealt with were:—

Canterbury B Selectors. — Messrs D. M. Finlay (forwards) and L. J. Russell (backs) were appointed selectors of the Canterbury B team. There were three nominations for the forwards selector —Messrs Finlay, W. H.

Wakelin, and P. M. Robinson—but Mr Russell was the only nominee for the backs selector. Messrs Wakelin and Russell were the selectors last year. Sprigs.— A sprig inspection in all grades will be carried out by referees on Saturday. Secondary Schools’ Rugby.— The Rev. Father B. J. O’Brien reported that secondary school teams had increased from 160 last year to 177 this season and that 159 of these played in the Wednesday afternoon competitions. Although this increase was very satisfactory, the schools now had the great problem of a shortage of grounds. This had been brought about mainly by new schools entering more teams than it had grounds, and only by giving a team in each grade a bye each week, would the shortage be overcome this season, he said.

Presentation to All Blacks.— Presentations by the union will be made to four of the five

Canterbury players selected for the New Zealand team to tour South Africa under the No. 1 stand at Lancaster Park on Saturday. The fifth member of last year’s Canterbury team, K. R. Tremain, is now in Auckland.