RUGBY FOOTBALL

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 August 1934, Page 11

RUGBY FOOTBALL

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEET The Management Committee of the West Coast Rugby Union met last evening, there being present: Messrs. J. Guy (acting-chairman), T. Mclntosh, F. H. Eggleton. W. Williams, F. W. Baillie, T. P. Ryan and J. E. Joyce (secretary). The Westland Sub-Union wrote confirming September 8 as the date for the Dittman Shield match at Hokitika, and also stating that it would be suitable for the return junior representative match to be played as a curtainraiser to that match. It was decided that the selectors choseo the senior and junior representative teams on Saturday evening, to meet the Westland representatives. The affiliation fee, £5/5/-, was received from the Lake Brunner SubDivision. The application of C. Watson for a transfer from Cobden B to Star was granted; and, as Watson played for Star juniors against United on August IS, not having then been transferred, it was decided to award that match to United. The Secretary mentioned that he had written a letter to the Star Club, asking whether Watson played for Star juniors on August 18, but no reply .had been received. On the application of the Blaketown Club, B. McLaughlin was re-classified from senior to junior grade. Permission was granted the Blaketown third grade team to travel to Westport on Saturday next, to play White Star. An application from a prominent League player for re-admission to the code, was received, and it was decided to forward it with a favourable recommendation to the New Zealand Union. The explanation of the Blaketown Club that N. Iggo, a junior, had fulfilled the residential qualification when he played first, was accepted. It was decided that the senior colts play Inangahua at Reefton, on September 8. It was decided that the Westland Sub-Union be written to,, suggesting that the McLean trophy match, between the champion senior teams of Greymouth and Hokitika, be played at Greymouth on September 15. It was decided that the Nelson Union be thanked for their hospitality and attention to the West Coast primary school team, during the schools’ tournament.

' The Wellington Union wrote stating that, they would be pleased to have a West Coast rep. team play at Wellington on Wednesday, September 19, stat’ing that they would guarantee the Coast Union 50 per cent, of the gate, less gatekeepers’ wages and advertising expenses, with a minimum of £5O. On the motion of Messrs. Baillie and Eggleton, it was decided to accept the terms offered by the Wellington Union, and that the team play in Wellington on September 19. It was decided that, the party consist of nineteen players and a manager, and that all supporters desirous of travelling with the team, travel as members of the official party. FIXTURES. Fixtures were arranged for Saturday, as follow: — Senior: Star v. Blaketown. Park, No. 1, 3 p.m. (A. F. Jamieson); United v. Cobden, Park, No. 2, 3 p.m. (N. Eggleton). Junior Grade: Star v. Blaketown, Park, No. 2, 1.30 (D. Mackay); Celtic v. Cobden A, Park, No. 1, 1.30 p.m. (F. J. Tempero); United v. Cobden B, Technical School ground, 3 p.m. (R. Longstaff).

BRIGHTER RUGBY UNION MEMBERS’ DEBATE A plea for brighter Rugby was put forward at last evening’s meeting of the Management Committee of the West Coast Rugby Union, by Mr. F. W. Baillie, and it was decided, after some discussion, to hold the matter over until the last meeting of the season, so that if anything is to be done, it will be done at the next annual meeting of New Zealand Union delegates, in preparation for the new season. Mr. Baillie said he thought it was high time some changes were made in the rules, in an effort to brighten up the game. Rugby matches all over the country were forward games, which were anything but interesting for the average spectator. Two rules which should go, were the “kick into touch,” and the rule governing the throw-in in the line-out. Line-outs invariably ended in scrums, and members would have noted that in the last All Black match there were no fewer than 300 scrums. Something should be done to remedy this state of affairs, and he suggested that, if the New Zealand Union could not persuade the authorities in England to this point of view, something might be done on the tour of the All Blacks to England. The acting-chairman, Mr. J. Guy, said the matter of dealing with the rules to brighten up the game had been dealt with this season by the N.Z. Union, but nothing had material- ' Mr. Baillie said little had been done as the proposals had not had the support of all the Unions in the country. He suggested that all Unions be circularised, and asked to support a remit to the next annual meeting. It was imperative that something be done, and done quickly, as the rules, at present, were slowing up football, with a result that the game was losing patrons, and they were developing teams with backs of poor ability, whose only object appeared to be to kick for the line, it was the same up and down the country, and even in the All Black team, there were cries that the backs.were no good. Mr. T. Mclntosh said 11 is opinion was that the rules were not the cause of the trouble, but the players themselves. It was how the game was played that was everything, and players could make it open if they wished. The last British team to tour New Zealand played under the same rules, yet they played fast, bright football and none could accuse them of having weak backs. Mr. J. E. Joyce (secretary) said he considered the scrum formation was to blame, the ball now coming too slowly from the scrums, with the obvious result that the breakaway foiwards had ample ’time to get round the scrum, and the play of the fiveeighths was ruined. In the day of the old formation, the ball came out much quicker, giving the inside backs those few extra moments that were so valuable. , , L Mr. Mclntosh said he thought that fact that there was a scarcity of good backs in New Zealand at present, was more because Dominion Rugby was experiencing bad times, than because of the rules, or the scrum formation.

Good footballers came in cycles, and New Zealand was just getting a, bad time. The New Zealand Union had previously approached the English Union but had received no satisfaction. It was decided to hold over a decision in the matter, until the last meeting of the season.