RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1118, 4 May 1911, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

THE WELLINGTON UNION, CASE OF F. MIRCHINSON. A , meeting of the Management Committee of Ihe Wellington Rugby Union was held last evening, Mr. S. S. Brown presiding. There were also present: Messrs. JO. 0. Hales, W. Perry, J. Sweeney, .1. Hums, ]■!. Little, W. Hornig, and W. llardham. As no referee turned out to control (ho Selwyn v. St. John's third-class match last Saturday, the Selwyn Club asked for a refund fit 15s. travelling expenses incurred by the club in conned ion with the match. The application wus granted. A similar rer|iip.-l was received from the St. John's Club, and was treated similarly. A letter was received from tho Ponekc Club asking whether F. Mitchinson, who has be;n absent in tho country for the past three months, and who is returning to Wellington this week, would bo able to play for tho club on Saturday without having comnlied with the seven.days' residential qualification. It was urged that the. residential ijualification was imposed to prevent "birds of passage" being rung in to local matches, and should not apply in a case like the present. Mr. Brown thought the union should take up the firm stand that a man should lie in Wellington for seven days before ho could play. He did not think that they should stretch the rules to meet thi3 case. After some further discussion, it was decided that Mitchinson be allowed _to play on condition that he gives the union a written assurance that it is his intention to remain in Wellington for tho football season. Messrs. Brown and Hornig voted against the motion. _ The Canterbury Rugby Union, writing in reference (o the proposal to liold a conference of unions in regard to fixing dates for representative matches, slated that eleven unions had given favourable replies, tho conference would be held at Wellington on the morning of-May 11. It. was decided that a deputation I Him the union' should wait on the Public Schools' Union on Friday, in reference to the matter of the Marist. School players. In a desultory discussion . one member suggested that" the committee would have to iaee tho position of running a public schools competition itself. Mr.- M. W. Welch, replying to the request of tlie union that he should substantiate or withdraw certain statements which' ho made at tho annual meeting of delegates, asked if the union was prepared .to pay the cost of-producing witnesses, the principal one being in Auckland. It was decided (o let the matter drop, the opinion boins that llio union could get no further with it. A grant of J:5 was made to the Porirna Club towards tho cost of grounds. The M.irlborongh Union wrote, stating that it was favourably disposed to the suggestion of-the''Wellington Union, that a Marlborough representative team should visit Wellington on Juno 3, and asked that a. Wellington team should / visit Mnrlborough later in the season.-It was decided to-send a team to Blenheim before the season clos;s.

.THE WEQNESDAY ENGAGEMENTS. SEASON OPENED. The opening games of the Wednesday Rugby competition were played at the Athletic Park yesterday, in almost ideal weather, but, though the conditions were i'avourablo, the general tenor of Jie football was anything but attractive. It must be taken into consideration, however, that, as these were the first game? of the season, a Rood deal of improvement may be looked for as the season progresses. The .Oriental fifteen were defeated by the. Transvayraen on Ao. 1 ground, by 16 points to G, and an Athletic team proved to be easily superior to a team representing St. Patrick's College, the latter being put down by 19 points to 3.

TRAMWAYS AND ORIENTAL. From the commencement Tramways began to show their suncriority, especially in the back division. They attacked strongly for the greater part of the first shell, and'though'Oriental, by occasional loose forward rushes, threatened their opponents' line, yet, as a rule, "somebody blundered," and the attack Was repelled. Tho Tramway men, after they hail gauged their opponents' strength, essayed a passing rush, and, on fully discovering how inadequate the defence was, specialised in this form of attack whenever an opportunity offered. The Black and Whites adopted the forward game, but their forwards could not establish the required superiority to make this form of atcack successful, or in any way conuterac the superiority of the enemy's r«avgnard. The game was* keenly fought out, and, towards the end, became rather exciting. Tramways lost several chances of scaring by the selfishness of ono or two of their backs. On ono occasion one man attempted to "cut in" while, at his side, wero two comrades, and no one to oppose them. Throughout, the game individual effort seemed to be preferred to combination by both teams. In the end Tramways won easily by 1G points to 6. Tries were obtained for the winners by Bramley, A. Clark.C'), and Cooper. Clark converted once. For the losers, Morgan and Bolton got over the line.

ATHLETIC AND ST. PATEICK'S. In'this game Athletic were easily suji*rior.in nil departments, and their" nla.yers were more exnorienced, but, desnifcthis, the Blue an J Whites played a plucky gome. In tho opening stages College held their own, but, bit by bit, their defence crumpled before the forward onslaughts of their heavier opponents. For a time they rallied, and e'veu returned undismayed to the fray, but, from tho outset, it was evident that their chances of victory were practically nil. Athletics, !'t v D vigorous forward game, prevented the College backs from operating; ami even had the Blue and White backs boon Riven a chance, tho onposing rear division would have proved thoniselves equal to meeting any emergency or attack. The game resulted in a decisive victory for Athletic by 19 points to 3, trios being ohtimed for them by Brown (3), Mouat; and Cording, llouat converting two. Burns registered the only College try.