RUGBY

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 148, 10 March 1923, Page 16

RUGBY

(By

“Five-eighths.”)

LAST SEASON REVIEWED PROBLEMS OF 1923 The annual report of the AVellington Rugby Union, for presentation to the annual meeting ot that ixiuy 011 March 21, contains some notabm points of interest to players and 10Ilowers of tho national winter pasitme. The number of active players unuer the union again showed a marked increase, and now approximate 30UU, giving proof if any be needed ot the popularity of our national game. Twenty-eight clubs are now affiliated to the union, new clubs admitted last year being Karori, Khandallah, Ouslow, and Stoi>Out. The number of teams and tho champion team in each grade were as under: — Henior (10 teams): Petone. Junior (14 teams): Petone. Third (19 teams) : Berhampore. Intermediate (18. teams) -. Poneke. Fourth (13 teams) : Poneke. e Fifth (19 teams): Petone. Sixth (16 teams): Petone and AA’ellington College A, equal. Seventh (11 teams) : AVolhngton College. file number of teams in all grades wan 120, this being an increase of 27 over the previous year’s figures. Representative Fixtures. “Tho display of our senior representatives was,” says the report, "on the whole disappointing, and tell far short of tho standard of previous years. Many players sustained injuries m cup matches, and were therefore* not available for representative fixtures ; others again were unable to obtain the necessary leave, but even taking these factors into consideration, it 'is difficult to account for the indifferent display. To some extent the change in plav conscxjuent upon the introduction of the kick-inlo-touch rule may have affected the standard, but the main reason seemed undoubtedly to be lack of training. There seemed to be a lack of keenness and combination on the part of players, and the play generally tended to become ragged and disjointed. The question of systematic training will require serious consideration if Wellington is to regain her previous position, and clubs and players alike are urged to give the matter their earliest attention. “The greatest difficulty was experienced in obtaining a team to make the southern tour, an<l th© difficulty of the selectors may be gauged from tho fact that nearly eighty players were appi cached before a final selection could be announced. The team which made the trip was composed mainly of voung players in their first season in senior rank, and under the circumstances di<J well against the strong southern unions. Selectors. “Messrs. F. Roberts, AA r . J. AA'allace, and A. AVilson, all old footballers of international fame, acted in this capacity last season, and in the face of heavy difficulties encountered -owing 10 injuries to players and the inabil,vy of others to obtain the necessary leave for tours, their selections, must be. considered satisfactory. Owing to the difficulties mentioned they certainly found their task more arduous than has been the case for many years past, nnd the thanks cf tho union are due to them for the trouble to which they went to get teams together, and in coaching the home team before cash match. Club Championship. “At the beginning of the season it was decided to iiiHtitute a oub chair*nionship, whereby the club gaming the highest aggregate of championship nouits in all grades was deemed the memier club of the year. Petone were tho winners with 190 points 1 oneke second with 160 points, und Berl-am-pore third with 141 iK’ints. Grounds. “Your committee gave this question serious consideration last season, and with a view to arriving at some deiinItc arrangement with the Petono 'E° r 7 onglt Council a special committee had a conference with tho Reserves Committee of the council. After an amicable discussion an arrangement was made whercbv the union secured a lease of all grounds on the recreation reserve proper for a term of one tear with an annual right of renewal for a further period of four years on terms mutually satisfactory to both P artie ®; These grounds are therefore secured to the union f-r a period, of five yC “Tho committee has also considered the question of the purhease of a - ditional playing 'areas, and has conferred with tho officers of the union and inspected various grounds, and commends the purchase of suitame areas in the near future. No definite schemes have been propounded, though

u. loan of £2250 from the New Zealand Rugby Union has been provisionally arranged. “Tho question of converting tho Iccsa of the Athletic Park into a lease in perpetuity and of the Erection of a modern stand are matters that must also he considered. It is estimated, that to replace the present stand with a two-story stand capable of seating 5000, with suitable dressing-rooms, etc. wilt cost upwards or £IS,UUO. duos and delegates are asked to consider seriously these matters, and to give the incoming committee a d< finite direction. “Your committee feels that with the annual normal increase in the number of the question of additional . grounds to accommodate teams is a vital one, and the purchase of additional areas is essential. It may, perhaps, mean that town teams may have in future to travel some little distance into the suburbs in order to play their games, but owing to the prohibitive prices of city lands this is unavoidable. ' BERHAMPORE CLUB A few items from the annual report of the Berhampore Club: — “Membership.—The membership is still on the increase, and is now the highest since tho club’s inception, being : Playing members 145, honorary members 140. officials 61. total 346. “Teams.—-The Rugby Union inaugurated a new grade (intermediate), and the club found no difficulty in entering a team, which meant wo had six teams in the field against five for the previous season. Teams were entered in the following grades: Senior, junior, third, intermediate, fourth, and fifth. AA’e experienced a very successful season on the playing field, and have every reason to feel proud of the high positions occupied by the various grade teams, as will be seen by the following analysis:— “Senior. —This team was a good one and commenced the season by defeating Poneke (tho previous year’s champions), and it was not until the fifth match that- a try was registered against them. This made us very hopeful of the team being high in the senior championship, but an unfortunate incident through which they lost the services of a prominent player for three matches shattered the team’s confidence, and from this on they did not pay strict attention to training, consequently their plav deteriorated. The team was compelled to default a match in connection with the incident mentioned. They finished in sixth position, but onlv two points behind the team securing fourth position, and would probably _ have been higher in the championship ladder had the above-mentioned incident not happened. Tho team played good football,' and had the honour of being one of the contestants in the star match at the Athletic Park on four occasions, ns against two the previous season. The team competed in _ the seven-a-side tournament and finished runners-up, being beaten by Petone in tile final bv 10 points to 3. The I’iriiest scorer for the season was N. Mouatt, 39 points. Appended are the results of their matches: —Matches plaved 16, won 8. drawn 1. lost points for 147. _ points against 120, championship points 17, position sixth (10. teams competing).”

Mr. J. W. Heenan has decided not to seek re-election as a member of the Management Committee of the Wellington Union. “I am glad to notice . the name Baumber among the nominations for new members.” remarked the president (Dr. A. K. Newman) at the annual meeting of the Poneke Club.* As T remember his father, he was p armwho had a knack of kicking "oals from almost anywhere on the field; a lost art, I’m afra’d. among some of our own players to-day.” “The senior fifteen led in the championship for the greater part of the season,” stated the report presented at the annual meeting of the Ponexo club “butS'the standard of play was not quite up to previous years This was due mostly to the amended rules, which were brought into force during the season. The combination was not quite up to former seasons, a fact perhaps also due to the new methods forced about by the new rules. Numerous injuries during the latter part of the season also went hard for tho team and helped to spoil the combination. Promoted juniors performed very creditably and it js 'hoped they wilt stick to the club until their football days are over. Seventeon_championship matches wore played aim resulted as follow: —Won, 12; drawn, 1; lost, 4; points for, 197; points against, 81; championship points, 25. The team were runners-up to Petone, to which club the committee extend their congratulations on their success. The junior team, although not as successful as the seniors, arc to bo congratulated on sticlrng together- and improving their position. The third team also did well. The intermediate and fourth-class teams won their, respective championships, and the sixth team .were runners-up.