A PROUD RECORD

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 48, 25 August 1930, Page 3

A PROUD RECORD

PETONE RUGBY CLUB

THE SEASON'S SUCCESSES

On several occasions in the course of this season's Rugby championship games, it was recorded that all the Petone teams had won their matches in the course of a Saturdajr's play, and the club has finished the season by winning the senior, junior, and fifth grade championships, in addition to the National Mutual Cup, and will also contest the finals in the third and fourth'grades. The club also finished second in the sixth grade. The season's record is one of which any club might well be proud, and for Petone it will go on record as one of the most successful seasons of the club's lengthy and distinguished history.

On Saturday night the club held its annual social function in the Heretaunga Hall, when the usual compliments were exchanged and the trophies won during the season were presented. The club's president, Mr. H. E. Ryder, was not present early in the evening, and the chair was occupied by Mr. L. T. Cobcroft. There were also present Mr. W. Nash, M.P., the Mayor of Petone (Mr. D. M'Kenzie), representatives of the Wellington Rugby Union, members of other clubs, and several of the Auckland and Wellington representative players.

The Mayor of Petone, Mr. D. M'Kenzie, who proposed the toast of "Parliament," said he wished to take the opportunity of congratulating the club's senior team on winning the championship for the ' thirteenth time, and also on winning the National Mutual Cup. Mr. M'Kenzie also had a word to say for Mark Nicholls, whom he classed with Hobbs, of England, and Bradman, of Australia, as being outstanding ia his country's national sport. In responding to this toast Mr. W. Nash, the member, for the Hutt district, said that it was the first time he had had the privilege of being associated with the Petone Club, except for seeing its matches. The Petone Rugby Club had done more to make his electorate famous throughout New Zealand than anything i else in the Hutt Valley. He referred to the fact that the club's strength lay in ' the fact that it trained its players right from the primary schools. He was in the happy position of representing the | district which had supplied the first three teams in the competition. Sir Apirana Ngata had told him after the Wellington-Auckland match that it was brains that had turned the scale in Wellington's favour, and he knew that I those present would agree with him that I half Wellington's brains tame from Petone. (Applause.) The toast of "The Petone Club" was proposed by Mr. W. J. Walling, club captain of the Eastbourne Club, who spoke o£ the fine club spirit, evident in Petone, and said that as long as it continued Petone would remain at the top of the tree. An act which meant more to him than the winning of the championship had occurred on the Sunday following the deciding game, when four carloads from Petone, including Messrs. E. Price and Mark Nicholls, had visited his house at Eastbourne, and had spent a convivial evening. Mr. L. T. Cobcroft proposed the toast of "The New Zealand and Wellington Rugby Unions," and Messrs. W. Hornig, a former member of the New Zealand Union, and J. Prendeville, chairman of the Management Committee of the Wellington Union, responded. TRADITIONAL RIVALRY. Three old rivals exchanged compliments when Mr. Mark Nicholls proposed the toast of "Our Opponents," and Messrs. C. G. Porter (Athletic) and Jack Shearer (Poneke) responded. Mr. Nicholls's assertion that he enjoyed a game against Poneke or Athletic more than against any other teams was reciprocated by the other two. "I have played against Petone, and I have fought against Petone," said Mr. Shearer amidst laughter, "and now that my football career is drawing to a close there is nothing that causes me greater regret than the fact that it will put an end to my games against Petone. Mark Nicholls's father, Sid Nicholls, was rightly called "the daddy of them all," and his sons have pulled not only Wellington, but also New Zealand, out of the mud. (Applause.) ... I am only sorry that Poneke were hot able to uphold their traditions and contest the final with Petone this year." . "I always liked play against Petone, said Mr. Porter, "because I knew that in beating Petone we were defeating a team worth beating. . . ; I congratulate you on the splendid record you have put up this season all through the grades, and also want to congratulate Mark Nicholls, who is as fine a player as ever graced the turf of New Zealand. Mark and I have always been friends, and we have been associated in many international clashes." (Applause.) Mr. W. Nash, M.P., then presented the following club trophies: Mr. Hay's medal for the best back in the senior team, 11. R. Pollock; Mr. S. Letcias's medal for the best forward in the senior team, E. Coulston: Mr. L. T. Cobcrqft's medal for the best tackier in the backs in the junior team, J. Flux; Mr. L. J\ Cobcroft's medal for the best tackier in the forwards in the junior team, <*, Rodda; Mr. Pound's medal for the most improved forward in the junior team, W. land; Mr. Nissen's medal for the most consistent player in the fourth B team, Radcliffe; Mr. Hadley's medal for the most improved player in the fourth A team, 'N. M'Gurk. The Purcell Memorial Cup for the team with the best performance was awarded to the fifth grade team, which won all its matches, and scored 427 points, with only 20 against. There are also a number of trophies to be presented to the lower grade players at a function to be held at a later date.