HISTORIC YEAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 50, 1 March 1937, Page 11

HISTORIC YEAR

BSG RUGBY EVENTS

WELLINGTON OUTLOOK

UNION'S REPORT

"The season about,to .open will be a historic one," states the annual report of the Wellington Rugby - Football Union. "The-South Africans, better known as the 'Springboks,' will tour ~ fee Dominion,,and-it is hoped that Wel--lington enthusiasts may have the privilege of seeing them in action on perhaps two occasions. The record of South' African teams overseas is a wonderful tribute to,their prowess, . and there is every reason to anticipate that the .combination about to visit these shores will .be,, every bit ;as formidable-, as-their predecessors;' .%,.■. . .'•.'"The matches \ last afeason-indicated that some of the younger players, .should,/with' the experience gained against more seasoned ' opponents, •do well during .the,coming season, and there, is ample material available-to-provide a. representative side capable of worthily upholding .the prestige: of .the union. Visits are due from four of the southern unions, Taranaki, Manawatu,: and Wairarapa; The visit of Otago, holders of the Ranfurly " Shield, "should in itself prove a great attraction, and patrons are assured of a full programme of interesting fare as far as ■international and representative matches are concerned. "There is every indication, too, that club.-football will maintain the standard attained last year, and the committee views the prospects of a successful season with a spirit of optimism. ONE OF THE BEST SEASONS. Dealing with last year's activities the report states:— "The season was most enjoyable, the standard of play was generally much higher than was the case in 1935, and in many respects the club season was one of the best'in recent years, the in- ' terest being maintained right to the final series of games. Weather condition were, on occasions, not so propitious'as: could'be wished, and the opening-day of the season was one.of the worst experienced for a long time. The conditions on the day of the Hawke's Bay match were also decidedly wintry, driving rain with intermittent sleet and snow sweeping the - 'ground at' intervals during the after- . noon. Attendances were rather better thari.in 1935, and the finances of the -first -Test—Australia v. New Zealand— ' drew an attendance of approximately 27,000: "The number of teams, exclusive of -..-the ■ secondary:, schools' competitions, taking part in grade competitions, was 143, an increase of eight on the 1935 ] -. figures. The number of teams in the j secondary ■ schools' competitions remaiiied:at approximately the same fig- ■ ure as in -the previous season. ' GRADE COMPETITIONS. .-:: "Competition. in most of the grades was of a spirited nature, and grade winners did-not emerge until almost the-final series of games was played. In the •senior A first division, interest was maintained right to the end of the ..-. series and similar conditions obtained in the other sections of the senior grade. 'The congratulations of the union arei-extended;- to the Athletic- . Club'bn: Carrying off the honours in' the' first two sections.in the jubilee year of ijhe club. , ...Competition in the first division of .theY junior ■ grade was very even, and ■hd pvervvhelming victories were re- ' corded. ~ Technical, College Old. Boys ' .maintained a lead throughout in the second division: of the junior grade. All sections of .the third grade ,were evenly' contested, and in the second '".division a,play-off .was necessary. : Petorie and Hutt were clearly superior to other teams .in the first division of ..the fourth grade; but . in the second • • division'the teams were very evenly -matched and each c-f the first five iead■ing .teams claimed victories over each ; "other. ■ No;award, however, was made, - as the leading team did not complete '■ the age certificates of. its players within the time specified by' the committee/, .' ' ■ '■ -Suburban teams proved themselves ■superior in the fifth and sixth grades. ''•■At the start of the season the seventh grade was run in one division, but it was found that some of the clubs—Pe,tone, in particular—were overwhelmsingly superior to some of the remaining teams, whose players were very small. It was, therefore, decided to split the grade into two sections, with the result that teams were more evenly matched and greater interest was taken by the weaker teams which might otherwise have withdrawn from the competition. - - . ■ ' REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES. "The Union's, programme of representative matches.was. again a heavy one. The -first .- fifteen played nine games—three. at home and six away. Second fifteens: played six games—two at home and four away. The performances of the first fifteen:(the report \ states) were' hot quite as good'as was hoped for; After a splendid victory over" Hawke's Bay, the team did not ' fulfil expectations and ,in particular, their performance against .Otago in, the Ranfurly Shield game—the first, incidentally, in which representatives of the Union have taken part since 1932 —was a disappointment, to local fol-,-lowers and officials. The fact that what was regarded as the' Union's best fifteen could not be kept intact for all games no doubt had its effect, as also did injuries. The falling off in form after a splendid showing against Hawke's Bay is difficult to account for, but", taking everything into consideration, the performances, although not outstanding, were fairly satisfactory. "The record of other fifteens was, on the whole, quite satisfactory, and the two'losses sustained were to heavier ••afa'a more ■experienced sides.- Much * promising material was revealed and :Tnany of the players should be capable of their mark in higher ■ company." \ .'The annual meeting of delegates to -the Wellington Rugby Union is to be held on March 16.