"CRUCIAL YEAR"

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 73, 27 March 1942, Page 7

"CRUCIAL YEAR"

RUGBY FOOTBALL

WELLINGTON UNION

It was absolutely essential that the "Wellington Rugby Union should look after its younger players, said Sir Alexander Roberts, who presided at the annual meeting of the union last night. They should, build up the lower grades upon whom the future of the game depended, he said. The senior grades would present a problem this season, but he was. certain that they would be able to see,the season through. Ho was optimistic enough to think that the crisis of the war would take place in. 1942 and that they might hope in the following year to see some return to their old form'and their old conditions as far as the game was concerned.

Reviewing the last season, Mr. J. N. .Millard, chairman of the outgoing management committee, said that although there had been a loss of about £400 much of that was by way of depreciation and the actual monetary loss was.only £135. As to the future, Mr. Millard said that though Rugby was exceedingly popular in peacetime, they realised that in wartime it did not matter one scrap. The country had a bigger job to do in raising and equipping the Armed Forces. But other things had to go on, and, provided the authorities did not think that the running of Rugby was going to hinder the war effort, it was the union's duty to keep the- game alive. (Hear, hear.) When things were blackest in Libya the New Zealanders were still playing Test matches in Cairo. Rugby was played in England in the very worst times. They could not now tell what the next year would.bring, but they could only do , their best. He agreed with Sir Alexander Roberts that this would be the crucial year in the union's wartime existence. RETENTION OF THE PARK.

"Whatever comes we have to do our best to hang on to that ground;" said Mr. Millard, referring to the finances of Athletic Park.

A strong plea for the giving of every possible attention to the retention of Athletic Park for Rugby was made by Mr. J. W. Heenan. .

Officers were elected as follows:— President, Sir Alexander Roberts; vice-presidents, Messrs. E. Price, J. W. Heehan, G. H. Weir, A. Macklin, and W. Hawker; delegates to N.Z.R.U., Messrs. J. Prendeyille, G. F. Jackson, J. N. Millard, J. D.' King, F. D. Kilby; hon. treasurer, Mr. G. F. Jackson; management committee, Messrs. J N. Millard, J. D. King, J. Moffitt, Professor E. J. Boyd-Wilson, Messrs. H. D. Morgan, H. Murphy, F. J. Tilyard, H. B. Simmons, and Father T, Cleary. After a long discussion on the prospects of obtaining primary schoolboys to play Rugby on Saturdays in a seventh grade the. meeting left the question to the incoming committee. "No club should lbse its status because its players' are.fighting for their country," said Mr. Millard, in reference to proposals for the conduct of the union's senior competitions this year, emanating principally from the Eastbourne Club. After a discussion Eastbourne withdrew its motion and the matter, was left to the incoming committee.