RUGBY

Evening Star, Issue 23560, 26 April 1940, Page 5

RUGBY

SUGGESTED TOUR OF ARMY PLAYERS RANFURLY SHIELD FIXTURES [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 25. A tour of New Zealand during the coming season by a Rugby team representing the third echelon was advocated by Mr F. E. Sutherland, vice-president of the Auckland Rugby Union, at a meeting of the Management Committee of the union. Mr Sutherland, who attended in his capacity as a delegate to the New Zealand Union’s annual meeting, said that as an old soldier he could speak with conviction of the value of such a tour from the military point of view. Mr Sutherland also expressed the opinion that Ranfurly Shield fixtures should not be suspended during : the war. ' The chairman (Mr Arthur Baker) said that, although extensive tours would be impossible and the union could hardly hope to fulfil its southern tour, he thought they should carry out their normal engagements with North Island unions. TEAMS OF FOURTEEN. A suggestion by Mr Sutherland that the union should set its face against alterations to the rules of the game during the war was supported by Mr P. Sheehan, who referred to a recent speech in which Mr S, S. Dean, chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union, had mentioned a possible reduction of teams to 14. “We know this 14-men stunt is a pet idea of Mr Dean’s,” ho said, “ and possibly he will make a serious attempt to bring it in during the war. Personally, I think our delegates should be advised to resist it very strongly.” It was decided that the union’s delegates should advocate the playing of horae-and-home representative matches, which could be undertaken at week-ends.