RUGBY FOOTBALL

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 April 1933, Page 11

RUGBY FOOTBALL

WEST COAST UNION’S REPORT.

The President, Mr A. A. Adams, will present the following report to the annual meeting of the West Coast Rugby Union this evening: —. In presenting the annual report lor the season 1932, I wish to congratulate officials and players on what was, perhaps, the most eventful season in the history of the Rugby Union on the Coast. The Union completed its first season on its own ground, which stood up to the hard usage remarkably well, and promises to be the finest sports area in the district. Also for the first time your representatives took part in the Ranfurly Shield competition, the blue riband of interprovincial football in New Zealand, and by a very fine performance against the holders, Canterbury, showed that Rugby on the Coast had reached a high standard. The splendid showing of your team both on and off the field, earned them the great compliment of being invited to play a return game in Christchurch for the benefit of the Mayor’s Fund. Your representatives again put up a fine performance. The Ranfujrly Shield game was lost by a small margin, and the return game drawn, so that against against a team which successfully resisted all challenges for the season, the performances of your representatives were most creditable. Interprovincial: Visits were received from the Auckland touring team and a Wellington colts team, for which we are greatly indebted to the officials of those unions. The Auckland game against a weakened Coast team was lost, but our players were successful against Wellington.

The usual home-and-home game with Buller resulted in Buller winning both and retaining the Rundle Cup. A strenuous representative fixture list was brought to a close with a very fine win over the strong'Bullei' side in the Seddon Shield challenge game at Westport. Much of the success of our representative players, 'apart from their own keenness and ability, is due to the placing at our disposal of training facilities at both Hokitika and Greymouth by Mr D. Dowell and the Cobden Football Club respectively, and to the great assistance rendered by Mr J. Devaney, of Hokitika. These training arrangements were also greatly helped by the kindness of Mr. McKechnie in providing accommodation for the Southern players, Sub-Union Games: In the game for the Dittman Shield the Grey representatives succeeded in wresting the trophy from Westland in the first game at Hokitika, and successfully warded off challenges by Westland and the Lake Brunner Subdivision. A trial game, Reps. v. The Rest, was played at Hokitika and won by the Reps. The Grey representatives also met and defeated a team from the Sydenham Club. McLean .Shield: During the season a handsome shield was presented to the Union by Mr P. J. McLean, to be competed for by the respective winners of the senior competition in Hokitika and Greymouth. In the first game for the McLean Shield at Greymouth, Stars (Greymouth) defeated Excelsior (Hokitika). Our best thanks are due to Mr McLean for presenting this trophy, which will do much to improve the standard of club football. Junior Reps-: Junior representative games, Grey v. Lake Brunner Subdivision, were played and won by the

latter. A junior representative game was also played against a Canterbury Senior B representative team as a curtain-raiser to the Ranfurly Shield game, but the Senior B reps, proved too heavy for our boys who were defeated. ; Third Grade:: The Third Grade representatives visited Hokitika, and were defeated by Kiwi Juniors. Club Competition: The various club competitions which produced some good football, resulted as follow: — Senior Competition: Stars (winner of Black and White caps); Knock-out, Cobden; Junior Competition, Blackball; Blackball are to be congratulated on a very successful entry into this competition. Third Grade Competition: Cobden; Fourth Grad'e, Technical A.; Fourth Grade Knock-Out, Blaketown. Graham Wise Cup, for competition between junoir champions of Hokitika and Grey, Kiwis (Hokitika). Seven-a-side: The annual seven-a-side was held on June 3 and as usual, provided football for a large number of players, and many interesting games Were witnessed. Owing to fading light the Senior Final, Star v. United, could not be finished, and the team were declared joint winners. Results: —Senior, Star United'; Junior, Kumara; Third Grade, Technical A.; Fourth Grade, Technical A.; Under 8 stone, Kumara; 7 stone, Kumara; 6 stone, Kumara; 5 stone, State School I A. Saraty Cup, held at Kumara, and I won outright by Kumara. School football has proved rather a difficult problem, and it is to be hoped

some means of placing the competition for the Campbell Trophy on a better basis can be evolved this season. , _ Ground. —Improvements have been carried out at Rugby Park, and great credit is due to Mr T. Ryan for the great amount of work he has put in during the off season. In connection with ground' improvements the valuable advice of Mr W. Hill and members of the Borough staff has been much appreciated. Finance.—The Union’s first year on Rugby Park proved most successful, and as can be seen by the balance-

sheet was, considering the necessary expenditure required on a new ground, one on which membeis can look back with satisfaction. Referees.—The Referees’ Association has rendered splendid service during a very busy season, and we owe much to them for the fine spirit ‘.in which the games were played. They are to be congratulated on having one of their members, Mr T. Mclntosh, selected’ to referee the Ranfurly Shield game, Wellington v. Canterbury. The Press. —The Union is much in-

debted to the Press for the publicity given the national game. Thanks: Mr and Mrs J. M'Leod have been of great service to the Union in providing changing accommodation for players and for the care and attention g'iven to the representative uniforms. The Union, has been fortunate in its friends, and' the warmest thanks are given to those supporters who kindly placed their cars at our disposal for the entertainment of visiting teams and transport of players, also to the committee, especially the ladies, who worked so hard in the interests of the annual ball; to Mr Turtill for many services, and to the Technical School and Boy Scouts for assistance given. Thanks are also due to Mr B. Petrie and the Cobden Club for the very suc-

cessful dance organised in aid of the junior reps, travelling expenses. Prospects for the coming season are bright, and with the Seddon Shield to defend and the continued enthusiasm of players, the standard of football should reach to even a higher plane than that of 1932, and be an attraction to the numerous patrons of Rugby who play their part in the carrying on of the game. In thanking members of the Union for their helpful co-operation during the past season, I cannot, conclude without paying great credit to the very successful management of the Union affairs to our treasurer, Mr J., Kyle, for his careful handling of our finances and for his work in keeping our equipment up to date, and to the secretary, Mr IV. Bruce, who in probably the busiest years of the Union’s existence has carried out his work with enthusiasm and' efficiency. LAKE BRUNNER SUB-DIVISION. The annual meeting of the Lake Brunner Sub-Division was held last Friday evening at Moana. Mr. J. Willis occupied the chair, delegates from the six clubs affiliated were present. The treasurer’s balance-sheet disclosed a credit balance of £6 14s Bd, which, considering the heavy expenditure incurred last season, was regarded as. very satisfactory. The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted: —-President: Mr. N. F. Field (unopposed); Secretary: Mr. A. Robertson (re-elected); Treasurer: Mr. F. De Lore senioi’ (unopposed); Auditor: Mr. S. Kincraid (reelected); Management Committee: Messrs. Kincraid, Reid, Taylor, McKenzie, Malloy, Roigard, Kennedy, Gladstone, De Lore,, Southern, Cummings and Tuck. Last season five clubs affiliated with the sub-division, and this number has increased to six, with probably a seventh, being included this year. This is very encouraging and speaks volumes for the interest that is being evinced in this popular winter sport; also for the facilities granted by the W.C.R.U. in extending the boundaries, so as to enable clubs with a scattered membership to come under the jurisdiction of Lake Brunffer Sub-Division. Some of these members tramp up to six miles to join their club mates, a feat which deserves the highest praise. A word of praise is due to tho referees who conducted the games last season, as a somewhat thankless job was handled by those men in a very creditable manner, some of them riding a push bike in vile weather to officiate at the various grounds. This year, conditions are much better, as nearly all places have roads close handy. , -X, XI The season will be opened with three competition games on Sunday, April 23, at the following places: —Te Kinga. plays Kotuku, at Kotuku; R‘u Ru plays Kokiri, at Kokiri; Kopara plays Stillwater, at Stillwater. Referees will be provided by the home clubs.