RUGBY FOOTBALL

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 129, 5 June 1929, Page 7

RUGBY FOOTBALL

WELLINGTON UNION

LOWER GRADE: MATCHES

. Various matters 14 connection with: Rugby football in thq lower grades were dealt with at last .night's meeting of the Wellington. Rugby Union's Managenient Committee.. Mr. J. Prendeville was in the chair; and others present were Messrs. A. : J.; Griffiths, J:.-- N. Millard, H. D. Morgan, H. Murphy, R." J. M'llraith, H. E. Nicholls, and H. W. Stainton (primary schools' representative), Major T. J. King, Professor B. J. Boyd-Wilson, and A. E. Neilsbn (secretary). ■ "Upon the recommendation of the Junior Advisory Committee, it was decided that matches for the junior representatives be arranged with Manawhenua at Palmerston North and with. Canterbury at Wellington. ■ .- ■' • ,-'■ .-.-■ ■■

- With regard to third grade; representative matches, \ the Junior Advisory Committee reported: "Our thirds had home and home games with Nelson juniors for several years,l but Nelson was. unable to come to, Wellington last year, and negoT tiations with Wanganui and Wairarapa were not successful. The third is our largest grade competition, and the committee is anxious that there should be a representative match for that grade this year. The committee recommends that when making arrangements with Horowhnua Sub-Union you should suggest that any of its[juniors who are included in the combined Mahav'henua juniors against our junior team should not be selected to play against our thirds,"

It was decided to ■ arrange a match between the Wellington third grade and the Horowhenua Sub-Union, to be-played at Levin or Otaki. ■'"■:-■ . ...

Approval was:, also given tt> a match between the Wellington fourth grade representatives and the Manawatu third grade representatives at Pahnerston. North.

The playing of a match between the colleges and other clubs of the fifth grade was also approved.j .-; ... .. .; The appointment of the following selectors was endorsed:—:-■■/-

Junior: Messrs. F. Bezzant (Athletic), T. Brooker (Poneke), J. Thompson (Wellington). Third: Messrs. F. Jacobs (Johnsonville), J. Poulter (Oriental), F. Russell (Berhampore). ■„".■.... i ' . ;J .■.:■■ Fourth: Messrs.|T. Church: (Melrose); C. Hester (Old Boys), J. Spence (Petone), Fifths: Other dubs—Messrs. W. King (Athletic), Xi J. Morgan (Onslow), and Brieholls(Berhampore). It was decided; that the colleges should appoint their own selectors. > . ; •;■'■ T STRENGTH OF TEAMS. _ The question of jthe strength-of. teams S ■v^lower; grades,was the Bubject of the report 'by a sub-committee of the Junior Advisory Committee: "Judging v by results to date, ,thei-e are several good teams of almost equal strength in 1 each grade, and also some other, teams ■which should, in the interests-of-players in those teams, be 1 in lower grades .Where they would.meet teams hearer their own j clas3. In no grade can any team be re-I garded as a "certainty for the championship, with the. exception of the Athletic intermediate team,- which is- superior' to any of.its opponents. The superiority bf that, team over other intermediate teams ;js, however, mainly due to good coaching and.special opportunity for training than to the individual superiority of most of the .players. , • . ; "As you are aware, it was decided to play the .junior championship -in one round. After goiDg carefully into the matter,' we are of opinion"; that, commencing on 22nd' June, the leading ten teams in the junior-grade should play 3 full round (whether some of them have played each „ other previously or not), and that the team gaming the most championship points in that round, plus ; champiorisliip - points I

credited to it" to 15th\June, be declared the winner of the championship, aiid that a fresh round be drawn for the remaining eleven- teams. .'...'■'

"It was understood when the third and fourth class teams were divided into two sections that some of the leading teams in both sections would be brought together after,the end of June; but we recommend that the final rounds in these two grades should also commence on 22nd June, and be conducted on similar lines to the recommendations for the juniors. There would be time for ten games in the second round, and we would suggest that the leading five teams in each section should play; off for the 'championship. "In our opinion the adoption of these suggestions' would improve the standard p£ play o£ the lower teams in each grade as well as the higher teams, as in both cases teams would be meeting every week opponents of almost equal standard to themselves, whereas at present maches are often onesided .and uninteresting to the players. Moreover, competition would be keener,' poaching, and .training would doubtless improve, and it-is a well-known fact that keen competition leads to higher efficiency. We do not, however, suggest any alteration to the fifth, sixth, and seventh competitions, as the playing of closely-contest-ed matches every week would be too severe a strain on those young boys." It was decided that the'clubs be given an opportunity of considering the scheme before the management committee took action. OTHER BUSINESS. .The Taita Club notified that it was unable to maintain a team in the fourth grade. The- Seatoun Club reported that its fourth grade team had made the trip to Taita last Saturday, only to find on arrival at the ground that, the match was being forfeited. It was decided to ask the Taita Club to show cause why it should not refund the fares of the Seatoun .Club'.s team, totalling £2 10s. ■ ■ Confirmation was received of the following representative matches:—Southland v. Wellington, at Wellington on the Bth August; Otago v. Wellington, at Wellington on the 31st August; Auckland v. Wellington, at Auckland on the 14th September; and Bush Districts v. Wellington Colts, at; Pahiatua 6n the 28th August. The Hawkes Bay Union'notified that its ! delegates had niade;tentative arrangements with Wellington's delegates for the Hawkes Bay-Wellington match to be played at Napiep on the 21st September. NEXT WEEK'S GAMES. The following are the senior fixtures for Saturday week:— .. •- ' :. Senior A. ■;.-■ ■ V I Oriental ;v.~ Berhampore, at Kilbirnie. 1 - Wellington v.Marist, Newtown Park. I Petone v. Eastbourne, at Petone. Old Boys v. Poneke, ground to be allotted. ...,.■■■ „ University: v. Athletic, ground to be allotted;- ■ ■'■■'„""■ --.-.'. ■'■..•■■ . ■-. .'■"•■ . •'■": -''W Senior B. '■' ' "< :■' arra" c"d '^ : Old"B°ys ' ' ground to be 'Wellington;: y.:- Hutt, Aground to ■be arranged. \- • •■:■■■■ ' u Tr|-»gg tt CoUege v. Upper Hutt, at Selwyn v. Porirua, at Porirua. - Varsity v. Johnsonyille, at Johnsonville Melrose, a bye.