RUGBY

Evening Star, Issue 25893, 10 September 1946, Page 3

RUGBY

TEST MATCH ARRANGEMENTS GREYMOUTH REFEREE APPOINTED The appointment of Mr A. Fong, of Greymouth, as referee for the first test match between New Zealand and Australia at Carisbrook on Saturday was announced at last night’s meeting of? the Management Committee of the Otago -Rugby Football Union. Mr A. H. Cameron (president) was in the chair. Mr Fong refereed several big matches this year, including the KiwiCanterbury match at Christchurch, and he has established himself as a competent controller of big matches Mr Fong was the first player of Chinese descent to gain interisland honours. He was a five-eighths 'in the South Island team in 1933, and he represented West Coast for several years. He controlled many important matches while serving with the 2nd N.Z.E.F. in Italy and the Middle East. Mr Fong will aiso referee the Austra T lian match against the combined Ash-burton-South Canterbury-North Otago team at Ashburton to-morrow.

Messrs L. E; Macassey and W. Blagdon will be the line umpires for the test match. The secretary of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (Mr A. F. Neilson) advised that the members of the New Zealand team would, assemble in Dunedin on Friday morning. It was reported that the northern members would probably arrive on Thursday afternoon. The team will stay at the City Hotel The Australian team will arrive in Dunedin on Thursday afternoon, and stay at the Grand Hotel. CURTAIN-RAISERS. Curtain-raisers to the test match were 1 , arranged as follows Noon: Alosgiel District High School v. Toko. District High School (Mr J. Stewart). 1.25 p.m., Maniototo Sub-union _v. South Otago Sub-union (Mr D. Kilgour). CENTENNIAL RUGBY PROGRAMME.

The desirability, of North Island teams visiting Otago during the centennial celebrations .in 1948 was referred to by Air D. C. Jolly. He said that Otago should have, received visits from North Island teams this year, but the teams did not come. This meant they may want to travel next year, and Otago would have to go on tour in 1948. Air Jolly suggested that the North Island unions should be notified of Otago’s wishes before the start of next season.

Air V. G. Cavanagh, sen., pointed out that the next Otago tour would be a short one, embracing Canterbury, Wellington, Mana>vatu, Hawke’s Bay, and AVairarapa, and not a long one to North Auckland. It would only last a fortnight. On the motion of Air H. Harris it was decided to form a sub-committee to deal with the matter. The following were, appointed:—Messrs Cameron, .Jolly, Cavanagh, Harris, and AV. J. Pearson.

REFEREE FOR RETURN SOUTHLAND GAME. Air'J. Frood was appointed referee for the match ; between Otago and Southland on ■ September 21 at - Dunedin. Mr A! McCambridge I was appointed as one line umpire. .PAYNE TROPHY MATCH. It was reported that the University Club , had accepted the proposal. that the Payne Trophy match should be resumed.. The secretary of that' club advised that 19 members of the University A team would travel to Christchurch on September 28 to' play Technical Old Boys, winners of : the Christchurch senior competition. The appointment of Mr H. G. Munro as manager-coach was approved. GENERAL. The Alhambra Club’was granted permission to play a fourth grade match against the Invercargill Club on September 14. A request that it should be played as a curtain-raiser to the test match was refused, because of the ' fact that the ; programme had been arranged. An' / outside ground would be available. . The. Dunedin Club was granted permission to play a third grade match against the Alarist Club, Invercargill, on September 21, at the Caledonian Ground. Permission was granted the Pirates Club to send its third . grade B team to Riverton to play the Riverton Club’s junior team on September 28. The kaikorai Club’s request to play a second grade match against Pirates, Invercargill, on September 21, was granted. A ground would be allotted by the Flag Committee. ' Because the - fourth grade competition had not been completed it was stated that it would not be possible to accede to the South Otago Subunion’s request that the leading Dunedin fourth grade team should play South Otago’s third grade team at Balclutha on September 28.'