"WE SHALL RISE"

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 70, 24 March 1938, Page 16

"WE SHALL RISE"

RUGBY OPTIMISM

WELLINGTON UNION AFFAIRS

ANNUAL MEETING

"Although our lustre was a little dimmed last year, I hope we shall rise to heights as great as ever in the past," remarked the president (Mr. J..Prende? ville) in welcoming delegates to the annual meeting of Ihe Wellington Rugby Football Union last night, and he added that he felt sure that Ihe meeting furnished evidence that the same enthusiasm would be offering as in previous years. There was an attendance 'of over sixty.delegates and officers. •„ ' i '■' , ' Satisfaction with the manneiv in which the administrative side of-Wel-lington Rugby football was being handled was-.shown by the delegates in returning to office all those who sought .re-election. Moreover, the report1 anil balance-sheet were adopted without' discussion. '; PLAYING STRENGTH. "I cannot say that the season was really successful from every point of view," said Mr. J. N. Millard (chairman of the management committee) in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet. "We did not beat the Springboks." Mr. Millard, however, •went on to show how the game was strong numerically, the union haying control of over 4000 players each Saturday—2 800 in the clubs and 1400 in the secondary . schools.. The problem in the coming season was going to be to accommodate the teams, as grounds at Lyall Bay would be lost to Rugby and other codes. Rugby's numbers last year wouldhave been even greater but for the adoption of the rule regarding primary school players. Seventh grade entries had dropped from 17 to 5, and the competition had become a farce. Mr. Millard congratulated .the Athletic Club on its having won the senior championship, a success which was fitting in having been gained in the club's jubilee year. He also congratulated the Oriental Club on the fact that it had reached its jubilee year, and he hoped that the occasion * would serve to bring back the club's "old glory." To the Petone Club Mr. Millard also offered congratulations on its having won the club championship. Dealing with Wellington's part in representative football, he pointed out that a new departure had been made in the matter'of selection duties. The usual practice was to have a sole selector, but Messrs. A. McDonald and F D. Kilby had been appointed to assist Mr. M. F. Nicholls. Their help was appreciated, and Mr. Millard also took the opportunity of congratulating Mr. Nicholls upon the success of the team. To others who had helped the union the speaker expressed thanks, and he made special reference to the club officials, the coaches, the referees, the junior, advisory board, the Director of Parks and Reserves, and the Press, as well as paying tribute to the work of the secretary (Mr. Neilson) and the treasurer (Mr. Jackson). Mr. H. D. Morgan seconded the motion, which was carried without discussion. OFFICERS ELECTED. The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows:—President, Mr. J. Prendeville (re-elected); vice-presidents, Messrs. E.. Price, W. J Wallace, and W. F. Hornig, and the Rev. Father"T. Cleary (all re-elected); and Mr. J. W. Heenan; .delegates to the New. Zealand Rugby Union, Messrs. J Prendeville, J. N. Millard, M. F. Nicholls, and F. D. Kilby, and Major T. J. King "(all re-elected); management committee, Messrs. J. N. Millard, J. D.King.'J. Moffltt, H. Murphy/F. J. Tilyard, H. B. Simmons, and H. D. Morgan, Major T. J. King,' and Professor, E. J. Boyd-Wilson, and Proelected); hon. treasurer, Mr. G. F. W. Jackson (re-elected); auditors, Messrs. Henry Kember and Son. Staging that he had had "a long innings". and 'expressing a desire to make room for someone else to be given the honour of holding office as a vice-president of the "union, Mr. A. F. Wiren did not accept nomination for that office. ' If.was. explained by Mr. Millar.d that-Mr.'.Wiren had mentioned to him that. his idea in desiring not to stand was that one vice-president should retire each year to allow someone else to get in. "I think we. should do our best to persuade him to come back next year,", Mr. Millard added in referring to Mri Wiren as one of Rugby's real stalwarts. SENIOR GRADES. An endeavour was made to have the number of senior teams reduced, two clubs—Pirates and Athletic — moving in this direction. "At the present time.. there are too many senior teams in Wellington," said Mr. A. Hooper (Pirates), in moving "That the senior B grade be deleted." There were twenty-seven senior teams taking in over 400 players, and Wellington would have to have a larger population, he contended, to stand that number. The' position was having a detrimental effect upon football in the lower grades. The motion was seconded by Mr. L. Russell." " Mr. C* Slater (Hutt) claimed trat the present system was working very satisfactorily. , During subsequent discussion the point' was raised' ' that the Athletic Club ;had a similar motion', and the Pirate's Club delegates agreed to withdraw,.their, Y 'motion, ; Mr. H. Murphy then -moving,--' That each division ;be limited' to' eight teams."'" It was 'explained by^Mr./Murphy that his' club's idea1 was'that some means should be devised to,, make for ' better football. Actually, there, v/erei he said,, over 500 players in senior football, and that was not in the interests of football generally. .."•... :•■•■..■. . ■ - : ' His .motion was seconded by Mr. L. Russell. ';■ ".... . ■ The case>pf senior B clubs was stated by Messrs^:R; J. Morgan (Onslow); Jacobs, arid ■ others, mention being made of the need for an incentive to clubs, particularly in districts like Onslow, to reach to top grade. The fear was also expressed that the "gate would be shut." .. Messrs. A. Hopper, Walling, and others pointed out, however, that the gate would still remain open, and Mr. A. W. Cooper, on behalf of the junior advisory committee, drew attention to a recommendation by the junior committee that in order to reduce the number of senior teams each club for every senior team it entered should maintain an equal number of teams in the junior and third grades..-,'.; ; " ;' . ' ■ . After, considerable discussion thje motion was lost, whereupon two other motions by the Athletic Club—"that each division Vbe limited to.eight teams" and "that the management committee may relegate teams only where such teams show consistently poor performance; over a number of seasons"—were withdrawn. OTHER MATTERS. On being giv'en;;ari :as|urance by Mr: Millard that seriior'secbhtfidivision and senior B players would be given the opportunity of; appearing before the selector or selectors with a view to their being considered for the main representative team, Mr. Hooper withdrew a motion, "That before any representative teams are picked, teams representing the senior A first and

second divisions play a match to be watched by the selectors." A proposal for steps to be taken to form a Sports Protection Association was put forward by Mr. F. J. Tilyard on behalf of the Poneke Club, but it was not supported:.

Criticism of the system in vogue whereby coaches are appointed as selectors in grades other than the top grade was made by Mr. R. J. Morgan, and.he urged that the management committee should give some consideration to formulating a better plan. The junior advisory committee s recommendation regarding senior clubs entering and maintaining junior and third grade/teams was;:adopted. A good deal,of discussipftßtook place on the- position- resulting "from an alteration as to age ' limit in the fourth grade, and it was decided by a margin of one Vote to give last year's procedure a further trial.

The abolition of the seventh grade was recommended by Mr. Cooper on behalf of the junior advisory, committee, • '