RUGBY STATUS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 266, 6 August 1931, Page 14

RUGBY STATUS

Claims of Canterbury REPLY TO “FIVE-EIGHTH” Championing the claims of Canterbury to a better recognition of that province’s. Rugby, Mr., R. M. Thomson, writing from Auckland, answers “Five-Eighth’s” comment that Wellington, Hawke's Bay, and Auckland arc the three principal strongholds of the game. Mr. Thomson writes as follows Now, the first • thing that occurs to me is this: Why exclude Canterbury? So far as Wellington is concerned, they are beyond a doubt indebted to Canterbury for two of the finest players ever seen in rep. football—Lilburne and Elvy. Was it not the brillrance of . Lilburne which led Wellington tp victory against Southland last week?* And again, was not Elvy one of the players who ( contributed to Wellington’s sensational |win over Auckland at Eden Park in 1929? And both these players learned their football science in Canterbury. So far as Ranfurly Shield contests are concerned. Canterbury was the only province to give Hawke’s Bay a hard go for it, when the latter was at the height of its glory. So if you mention Hawke’s Bay. why not also in fairness include Canterbury? Two years ago I came across the records of 31 matches for the Ranfurly Shield. I worked out the margin of losses in scoring* points. And this is what I found: Wellington’s losses in six matches were 4. 11, 10, 12, 4, 50; total, 91; average, approximately 15 per match. Auckland in five matches was 3, 15, 17, 30, 3; total, 68; average 13.6 per match. Now Canterbury’s margin in six matches is 2.1, 1, 13, 2,5; total, only 24; average. 4 points per game. These records show that of all the provinces Canterbury has been the most consistent challenger for the Shield. In'dealing with provincial representatives in general what school in the whole of New Zealand lias a finer record than the Christchurch Boys’ IT’gh School? I suggest that “Five-Eighth ” applies to that school for the record of All Blacks, and provincial representatives produced from its Rugby fifteens. I do not understand why it is that there seems to be a conspiracy against Canterbury so far as certain northern critics are concerned. I have noticed it now for three or four seasons. In face of Canterbury’s fine record it seems to me to savour very much of spite. After all. Wellington had to accept a Canter-bury-trained man as captain, nnd don’t forget it, and an ex-captain for Canterbury. too. don't forget.