RUGBY FOOTBALL

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 September 1923, Page 7

RUGBY FOOTBALL

JIAIIIST-OTAGO DISPUTE. (Special to “Star.,”) CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 12. The following statement has been issued on behalf of the Committee of the Marist Brothers’ Old Boys’ Association by Mr J. M. Coffey, lion, secretary.

It is a great pity that a misunder--3 standing has arisen, but it has to be admitted the misunderstanding is en--1 irely due to the fact that the Canterbury Rugby Union has failed to draw up the conditions under which the Payne trophy would be competed for, although the trophy has been in the possession of the Rugby Union for two years. Every member of the Marist team, chosen by Mr E. McDonald, sole selector, is a bona fide member of the

Marist Club, has fulfilled the residential qualifications, and would have been eligible to play in the senior competition of the Canterbury Rugby Union if the competition had been played to a conclusion after the MaristMerivale match. The players whose selection is questioned, are H. Mullins and Devinfe. Mullins’s home is in { Christchurch, and he has played in the Marist senior team four seasons, but , owing to business reasons, he was absent in Wellington from March till • July. Devine is a member of the > Police Force and was transferred to Christchurch in. July, and thus his r residential qualifications entitle him to ' pl a y iii the Rugby competitions in Christchurch. It is very unfortunate that suggestions have been made about . specially importing these players. The above explanation shows that insinuation to be utterly uncalled for and is without foundation. It is a pity that negotiations for this match had not been left to the two clubs concerned. Football players are true sports and it would have been the ambition of the champion clubs of Christchurch and Dunedin to place two such teams in, the field as would give a good exposition of

t ■- • '-z VV J-j'-'VVI I'lU 11 UL •> the standard of the game as played in these centres. The introduction of the condition that the players who take I* part in the Payne trophy match must have played at least three games in the competition is not only arbitrary but utterly destructive of team football s competition. It is arbitrary because it is a move brought forward without any previous warning, and hitherto had not been in the code of either the Otago or Canterbury Rugby Unions. It is destructive of team football because it would mean that even the regular reserves or emergencies would not be eligible, thus E .McDonald, who has j played for the Marist Club for the pa&t ’> four seasons, has acted as a resent right through the season, but because he has not actually played three games, he is now debarred from playing in the Payne trophy match. It has to be remembered that after a strenuous season and after interprovincial and international games there are some casualties among the Marist players. Brian McCleary is out of football till next season; E. Fitzgerald had some ribs fractured playing for his province against Wellington • Me- j Carthy has a septic arm since his game ; in the New Zealand team against Ans- ] tralia; McCormick has been suffering from a bad knee for the past two months, but in spite of these casualties Marists are prepared to place in field a bona file Marist Club team that will do justice to themselves and Canterbury football. If the Dunedin 1 ’Varsity team should succeed in beat- ; ing this team, it will be on.lv after a J

IUU MV-OU .. — J x ! to 9. • ! At half-time Wellington led by 19 ' points to six, but the play in the second ! half was more even. Svenson (4), ’ Shearer and Mahoney scored for Wellington, Nicholls converting two. Cox and Potaka scored for Wanganui, and Collier kicked a penalty goal. CANTERBURY v. MANAWATU. CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 12. In the final representative match of the season, Canterbury defeated Manawatu by 31 points to 16. ' REINSTATING LEAGUERS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) SYDNEY, Sept. 13. The New South Wales Rugby Union considered a proposal to grant an amnesty to League players desiring to return to the Union fold. Discussion was deferred till a special meeting on October 10, when the wording of the motion will be altered, as the sanction of the English Union is necessary before the proposal canj become law. If an amnestyis granted, an effort will be made to make it apply only to those who have not received cash payments. I,EAGUE PREMIERSHIP. SYDNEY, September 12. ‘ Fourteen thousand people witnessed the keenest struggle for the League Premiership when East Sydney defeated South Sydney by 15 to 12.

good game, and the Marist players will be the first to congratulate the victors. The Marist team has gone through many seasons of football. Its members have accepted defeat as sports. They have been the season’s champions five years in succession, and all rival teams acknowledge them to be clean sports, and the Canterbury Rugby Union can thank the Marists for the record gates of the past season. Marist players are keen, to meet Otago University team, because they know if to be a fine team. If the game is to be played, the Marist team is to be selected from eligible Marist.jClub players. It is 1

selected by the sole selector of the club, E. McDonald, and not by a member of the Otago Rugby Union, who has by his remarks insulted the Marist Chib. For these reasons, the K club’s executive has decided^ finally and irrevocably that if the Marist (pwi is to ■ play in the Payne trophy match, its • selector must, choose J ’- J --'m. this ’ selection to be made from bona tide ' members of the Marist Club, members eligible, thus E. McDonald, who has . Rugby Union competitions, and his selection is not to be hampered by any arbitrary eleventh-hour restrictions of the Otago Rugby Union. UNION’S ATTITUDE. (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 12. A meeting of the management com- ■ mittee of the Canterbury Rugby Union ; was held to-night in consequence of the Marist Chib’s action in regard to the Otago ’Varsity match. Mr S. F. Wilson (chairman) said that he had done everything he could to have the ’Var-sity-Marists’ match played. He had met Mr McDonald, the Marists’ selector, on Tuesday night, ai.fcl went so far as to promise that if the club dropped Devine altogether, he would ask the union committee .to consider the question of allowing H. Mullins to play. H. Mullins was a legitimate member of the Marist Club, although he had not played this season. “However, I don’t think Devine had arty right at all to play in the match,” he added. The President said that Air Payne had done everything he could to bring the match to a successful issue, and his efforts had unfortunately failed. The Union had now to decide what team . would play the ’Varsity.

It was decided to endorse the Presi ■dent's action in. arranging for flu match Io be played bid ween ’Varsitj and Merivale. “That, means we practice IJ y agree t> <t Vnrsil y-Meriva le match on Saturday next,” said 111 Wilson. Tim President said that it had beet made perfectly clear Io Otago that il would be an exhibition mulch, and not a match for the Payne trophy. Tin Merivale Club would have no difficulty in piillinfg its best team in the field. O. Turpin, a member of Um Linwood Club, went forth to night, to join the twenty New Zealand players in training lor Um third lesl. Turpin has previously represented Canterbury ami the South Island. He replaces Parker, who is on Um injured list. N.S. WALES’ VICTORY. (Per Press Association.) 11AMITON. September 12. I he Rugby lootball match, New South Wales v. South Auckland, was played before a large crowd to-day. Heavy

rain made the ground difficult, and the ball slippery. The visitors had the best of the first spell, which ended New South Wales 3 (try scored by Meagher), South Auckland nil. In the second spell the home team improved and Gray scored. Malloy converted. Exciting play followed, and the passing rushes of the. visitors were very fine. Near the close of 1 110 game Nothling and 'Thorn scored for the visitors. Nothling converted his own score. The game ended: New South Wales 11, South Auckland 5. WA NG AN U 1 DEFE ATED. WANGANUI, September 12. The representative game, Wellington v. Wanganui, was played here to-day in showery weather. The visitors, having flip best of the same. won bv 22 points

SOCCER. CHINESE TEAM LOSE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) BRISBANE, Sept. 12. At Ipswich, the West Moreton team defeated the Chinese Soccer team by four goals to two. Three thousand spectators witnessed the game. At the interval the home team led by four to one. The Chinese, combining splendidly, had the best of matters in the seconld half.

The following is the Runanga B team to play Hie State School at Steel’s paddock at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday : —Goal, i J. Pattinson; backs: N. Davis and N. 1 Wylde ; half-backs, E.. Pattinson, W. ' Doherty, S. McPhee; forwards: E. ] Butler, 1. Mossop (captain), G. Kinsey, ’ J. Simpson, J. Moore. Reserves: T. , Shore, C. Hester. ' 'The following is the Runanga “C” ‘ team to play Marist “B” on Victoria ( Park at 9.30 a.m. on Saturday: Goal, . J. Clark; backs: T. Shore, L. Wilsonj; f half-backs: C. Hester, H. Cameron, 11. f Boole; forwards: B. Richmond, 11. A Clark, J. Doherty (captain), J. £ Edwards, C. Wright. Reserve: J. t Devine. f