Difficult Times Ahead for Rugby Football

Franklin Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 43, 19 April 1940, Page 5

Difficult Times Ahead for Rugby Football

SOUTH AUCKLAND UNION PAST SEASON REVIEWED FLAG TO KEEP FLYING APPEAL TO ALL ENT ILLS LASTS In view of conditions brought about by the war, Rugby Unions anticipate somewhat difficult times ahead and an appeal was made at the annual meeting of the South Auckland Union on Wednesday evening to all enthusiasts to assist in keeping the Rugby flag flying. The president. .Mr G. H. Jemison, presided over delegates from the Pukekohe, Waiuku, Manukau, and Mangatawliiri sub-unions. Hie Primary Schools' Union and Referees’ Association. The balance sheet, showed a profit .of £25 r>s lld on Hie year's operations. Gash at the bank totalled £52 2s lOd. President’s Report In a review of last season's activities the president staled inter alia: — “The Pukekohe and Waiuku subunions amalgamated for club football, as did Franklin and Mangatawhiri, Waikare joined up with Taupiri in order to get club games. Manukau carried on its own senior competition. This coming season, oh account of'enlistments. it will be more.difficult still for sub-unions to field senior club teams. Play in the Inter-union and sub-union representative matches reached a very high standard during the season and three of the subunions challenged for the Peace cup, the Waiuku team very nearly lifting the trophy for the second time. The Union had one of the best seasons it lias had for quite a number of years, the total revenue being just over £IOO, with a credit balance on the year’s working of £25. Uur senior team played four matches, three at home and one away, winning two and losing two. For Hie first time wo played a Taranaki team on our home ground in Pukekohe. Those’ who stayed away missed one of the most spectacular matches seen on a local ground for many a long day. The union also had the pleasure of entertaining another new team to South Auckland, the Rangaitaild team from the Bay of Plenty. If possible I would like to see the visit returned during the coming season. . . None of our senior players were considered good enough for either of the Auckland., senior teams, but,it is pleas-' frig to know ilia# 'two of our players?, .r. Kidd from Karaka, and T. Thomson from Otaua represented the N./.E.F. team against the British Army team in Egypt. ‘•Junior football was exceptionally good and our representatives played I heir usual home and home fixtures against the Auckland intermediate representatives.

••Third grade football was not so good, and I would urge all unions to concentrate more on third' grade football if they expect -to have senior players in the future. With only two teams in the secondary schools’ senior competition, the competitive games were soon finished and quite a few games were played by these two teams against the union’s junior teams, besides which, a representative team from the two colleges played the junio* representatives as a curtain-raiser to the Auckland-South Auckland game, providing the usual spectacular game one expects from "College teams. The Game in Primary Schools “Primary school football under the able leadership of Mr F. McGrath, was carried on in certain areas, but it is. unfortunate that in some of our subunions no help is given to school football either by the teachers or the parents. Once again the school team was entered for Hie Roller Mills shield competition, and although not winning the shield, had the satisfaction of knowing they were the only team to defeat the present holders of the trophy. “I would like to extend the congratulations of the Union to those footballers who have joined the colours. Quite a number of our players have already gone and we are losing quite a few more in the third echelon. I feel sure that these boys will worthily uphold the great traditions of the original N.Z.E.F. and will light for their king and country in the same spirit that they played the game of Rugby on our playing fields. Probably we will find some difficulty in carrying on this year, but it is up to us to keep the Rugby flag flying and provide games of interest for the public as there is no doubt that these games will act as a tonic to those whose nerves are jaded by a surfeit of war news and International problems.” The following officers were elected.: Patron. Mr .). Ni Massey, M.P.; president. Mr C. H. .Temison; vice-presi-dents, Messrs D. Markham and E. H. Dawe (Manukau), H. J. Sumner and D. Jamieson (Pukeltohe), G. Chipman and H. Appleby (Mangatawhiri), T. P. McNamara and L. Peterson (Waluku) ; secretary. Mr C. Neilson; selectors. Mr J. Wood (senior), Mr G. G. Revell (junior); delegate to Primary Schools’ Rugby Union, Mr H. Curd ; auditor, Mr M. S. Campbell; match committee, president, secretary and senior selector. The New Zealand Rugby Union asked for a return concerning the mile-

Petrol Requirements

age Rugby teams would be travelling this season, and also petrol requirements for the. transport of teams other than those who could use licensed services.—The information is to be supplied, it being stated that for the whole area 150 gallons weekly would be required. Private cars, it was stated, had transported most of the players in the past, but unless some arrangement was made regarding additional petrol supplies, cars would not be available in the future. Manukau and Mangatawhiri subunions entered challenges for the Massey cup at present held by Pukekolie. Mr D. Muir (Waiuku), gave notice of his intention to move at next meeting that the affiliation fee for subunions be reduced from £4 4s to £2 2s. Mr Muir also urged that South Auckland representative games be allocated to the main centres in the union’s jurisdiction. The question of whether a trial match be played this season was referred to the next meeting of delegates ; as also was the question of undertaking a tour of the Bay of Plenty embracing three matches.

THE WANDERERS CLUB

All juniors of the Wanderers Club (Wanderers and Colts) are to meet at Bledisloe Park tomorrow before 2.30 p.m. to meet the Otahuhu third grade team. All players are assured of a game.