REPORTS AND MEETINGS

Evening Post, Issue 56, 7 March 1934, Page 3

REPORTS AND MEETINGS

EASTBOURNE CLUB Iv recording the completion of another successful year, the annual report of the Eastbourne Rugby Football Club presented at the annual meeting last night stated that five teams were entered by the club in the Wellington Rugby Union's competitions. IHe club was represented iv the ageonlv ,fiatH, a ' soveuth grade team only, and in this connection the committee realises that if the strength of the club s to be maintainedit is essential that more teams entered in these grades, and trusts that members will encourage all the younger players to join the club so that an endeavour can be made to increase the number, during the coming seaThe senior.team did not have a great deal ot success in gaining championship points; nevertheless, they played some extremely fine games, and were always treated with the greatest respect by the"ir opponents. The junior team, however upheld the club's prestige by winning* the junior championship, this being the first occasion on which the club has won the championship for this grade. The displays given by this team were uniformly good throughout the season, and the brilliant torm of some of its members makes the prospects of the senior team look bright for the coming season. Steady progress was made in all the lower grades. The continuance of the divisional system raised the standard of play,-and the club's teams more than held their own. The training facilities of the club are all that could be desired. The conducting of organised gymnasium training assisted by the retention of the floodlights on the Recreation Ground provided the players with ample room for systematic training in both wet and fine weather. Physical training was continued during the year and under the supervision of Mr. Pollock good progress was made, players appreciating the extra' facilities thus provided, lhe committee stresses the importance of individual training in addition to organised gymnasium training. The improvement in the standard of play, both individual and team throughout the club during the year was due to the coaches, and the thanks ot the club are due to those who so .generously gave their tiifae and serviceMessrs K> Roberts and A. J. Walling senior) C. Gibbons (junior}, A. R. Chitty (third A), L, Pudney (thift B), and P. Dennehy (seventh). The winners of trophies were:-Mather Cup, single men; Law Cup, junior team; Mr. Geo. Law's special trophy, Geo. Orme (captain junior teamj; medals for most improved players, senior AD. Plank; junior (forward). I Jose (back) -H. F. Mayer; third A (forward) (back) D. Brown; third' B (forward) J. Lmdop, (back) A. Whitney; seventh (forward), L. Fisher, (back) j J. Roberts.; The club's financial statement shows a bank credit of £37. SATISFACTORY SEASON. Last night's , meeting was one of the most enthusiastic in the club's liistory ihere was an.attendance of over 80 mem*"?.rs, the Mayor of Eastbourne (Mr. E. W Wise) presiding in the absence, owing to ill health, of the president (Mr. F. H. Mather). In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, the chairman congratulated the club on its sound financial position in the present difficult times, and also referred to the generally satisfactory records of the club's teams in the 1933 season. In this connection the junior team was singled out for special mention as the winners of the first division junior championship. With regard-to prospects for the coming season, it was contemplated that at least one more team would be entered in the competitions. It was decided that a general assembly of players and prospective members be held in. the gymnasium on , Thursday, March 15, with a view to making a preliminaary classification of players and to enable a commencement to be made -with training operations.' The following "officers were elected for the ensuing year:—Patron, Mr. G. Law; president,-Mt. F. H.-Mather;' vice-presi-dents, all the present holders of this office were' elected with" the addition of the following: Messrs. Ci'L. McAndrew, W. Jones, R. Loe, C. A.Rendle, F. J. Munro, C. S. Childs, C. K. Skelley, N. Press, W. Sanders, W. NoadyJ. Ricketts; club captain, Mr. A. J. Walling; club vice-captain, Mr. A. Macklin; to W.R.F.U., Messrs. J. Mofiitt,'A. Macklin, O. Price; management committee, Messrs. C. Gibbons, L. Jones, C. F. Houlton, J: O'Connor, H. Sleep; hon. auditor, Mr. J. Black (re-elected); hon. treasurer,' Mr. M. C. Barnett (re-elected); hon. socialsecretary, Mr. M*. Griffiths (re-elected); hon. secretary, Mr. E. Hart..