Rugby boundaries remain

Press, 26 February 1981, Page 19

Rugby boundaries remain

By the slender margin of just three votes — 52 to 49 with one abstention — the Linwood club has failed in its bid to have the Canterbury Rugby 'Union do away with town and country boundaries. For a few moments, in fact, it seemed that the annual meeting of the union had passed the Linwood motion, which called for the complete deletion of the rule relating to players being allowed to move outside their residential area, be it town or country, . unless they first obtained a dispensation. On a show of hands it was adjudged that the motion had majority favour. 46 votes to 43, and it was after the president, Mr ,B. J. Drake, had declared the motion carried t.iat a ballot was requested. There was some opposition to this and it was only after the Linwood club expressed its supprt for a ballot that Mr Drake agreed to the request. He was also swayed in his decision by the fact that the count did not tally with the number of possible votes. The ballot tallied perfectly. Moving the motion. Mr I Burdon said that the rule hac •presented problems in the past and nothing would be lost if it was done away with altogether. Economics, he

:suggested, would determine [how far a player wished to (travel to play his rugby. . I Mr P. Robinson, speaking ion behalf of the combined I sub-unions’ association, opIposed the motion. He said it [was a good rule and generally lit had worked well. “Why ichange it just because of one lor two isolated incidents?,” 'he asked. I While Linwood failed in its bid to bring about a major policy change, the High School Old Boys club enjoved some notable success, although the full extent of it remains to be seen. The Old Bovs senior coach, ißoley Manning, made three [requests and they were [turned into recommendations to the incoming committee. All three had the support of the meeting, if not the office bearers. The first two — a later : start to the senior competiItioi) than the April 4 dale [set by the union some weeks [ago and the publication at [the outset of the full C.S.B. ' Cup draw (games and dates, [but not necessarily venues) — had overwhelming support. The third request ■— that free movement of players be permitted within a club bei tween the senior A and senior :B grades — was also well [supported, although not to Ithe same extent as the other 'two.

; It will now be up to the ‘management.committee to act upon these recommendations as it sees fit, although it will be difficult for the committee i to ignore the substantial supiport each was given. i If the starting date is put back a week it will mean that the main end-of-season finals, for the C.S.B. Trophy and the D.C.L. Shield, may have to be plaved on the same week-end as ' the Springbok test, August 15. Mr Manning put forward a number of reasons for wanting a later competition start, most of them to do with difficulties in getting teams selected and properly prepared by the first Saturday of the seas'on. He was supported by a number of other senior coaches. In all three, of his.,requests. Mr Manning spoke in

favour of senior coaches being given the right to manage their resources as they saw fit. It was this plea that seemed to strike a receptive chord. Mr W. A. Russell was elected as the new vicepresident, a vacancy created by the death last yar of Mr G. G. Don. There was also a gap on the executive and this was filled by Mr L. W. McFadden a member of the same club (Belfast) as was Mr Don.

The full list of officers is:— President, Mr B. J. Drake: vice-presidents, Messrs M. R. Barnett, L. J. Russel! and W. A. Russell: treasurer, Mr J. F. Alott; executive. Messrs N. G. Gow, D. M. Noonan, S. R. Williams, M. C. Sullivan, V. C. Thomas. P. E. Robinson, M. R. Inglis and L. W. McFadden.