RUGBY FOOTBALL

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 222, 20 June 1928, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL

SENIOR FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY WEEK The weekly meeting of the Management Committee of the Wellington Rugby Union was held last night,(-Mr. J. Prendeville "residing. . Discussion took place upon the fairest method of deciding the senior A championship competition, in view of the tact that there was not sufficient time to enable nine rounds to be played. Various suggestions were put forward, and it was agreed" to redraw the fixtures for the matches ahead, and then, if necessary, reshuffle the draw, in order that the teams with a chance of winning should have every opportunity to do so. Mr. H. D. Morgan was appointed manager of the Wellington representative team' which is to play Taranaki at Hawera on Jul" 4,. , The transfer of F. J. Renner from Berhampore to Upper Hutt was approvPermission was granted to play the annual St. Patrick’s College v_ Wellington College match on July 2d, on a ground to be selected later.

FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY WEEK. Senior A. . Oriental v. University, at Athletic Park. . t> , Poneke v. Petone, at Petone. Athletic v. Eastbourne, at Prince of Wales Park. Marist v. Berhampore, at Newtown Boys v. Wellington, at 'Wakefield Park. Senior B. • Hutt v. Selwyn, at Hutt. . Porirua v. Wellington, at Ponrua. Johnsonville v. Training College, at Johnsonville. ~ . Oriental v. ’Varsity, at Kelburn Park. PLAYING SHORT TIME SOME DISSATISFACTION Two instances of short time being played in local Rugby games have occurred this season. The first was in the Marist-University match at Newtown Park, and the second at Athletic Park on Saturday last The following letter was received by the Management Committee of the Wellington Rugby Union last night from the Wellington Club: — “I am instructed to draw the attention of your committee to an irregularity in the timing of the senior match between Eastbourne and this club at Athletic Park on June 16. The first spell of this game Tasted 40 minutes, and it occasioned some surprise that the final whistle was blown after the second spelj had been in progress for less than 35 minutes. ~ , , “The rules of the game provide that a match shall be played in equal spells, and we submit that the first spell having been of 40 minutes’ duration, the referee had no power to curtail the second spell, except perhaps in circumstances under which the same could not reasonably proceed for the full time. But these circumstances did not exist in this case. “I wish to emphasise that this club does not wish' to make any appeal against the result of the match, but we feel that steps should be taken to ensure in future that the early matches at Athletic Park are timed in strict accordance with the The secretary (Mr. A.' E. Neilson) explained that the reason short time had to be played in the second spell was largely the fault of the Wellington team, who was late in taking the field for the commencement of the matfch. Mr. J. N. Millard said that the referee had certainly ended the match five minutes sooner than he need have done. Mr. A. J. Griffiths remarked that if the referee had done this purposely he had done wrong.

Mr. H. D. Morgan: "The referee is sole judge of time, and who is to say that he was wrong?” Mr. H. Murphy said that it was only 2.21 when the teams came off the field, and the Wellington players, who had a chance-'of winning, were naturally annoyed. The chairman (Mr. J. Prendeville) stated that he had attended the match, and there was no doubt but that the game was closed early. This was commented upon at the time. On the motion of Mr. Murphy, seconded by Mr. Griffiths, it was decided to refer the complaint to the referee.