The Grey River Argus MONDAY, September 19th, 1932. THE SEDDON SHIELD.

Grey River Argus, 19 September 1932, Page 4

The Grey River Argus MONDAY, September 19th, 1932. THE SEDDON SHIELD.

That the entry of West Coast provincial teams into the ranks of Ranfurly Shield aspirants this season has been creditable, none would gainsay, but the inter-pro-vincial trophy most familiar to rugby football followers within the four districts which contest it is no less certainly the Seddon Shield. The store set by this shield is regularly demonstrated by the det.nm : nati >i which the teams display in the matches foe it, and the keenness of public interes in the results. This being the district which may’ fairly be said to have so far seen deeidediy the least of the trophy, the victory on Saturday of the West Coast Union representatives over those of Buller was doubly welcome, and was further enhanced by the fact that the shield had for so long and so ably been defended by the late holders. The win was a very worthy one, and ean reasonably be held as a proof that the standard of play in this district has this season reached a higher level than for more than a decade past. It it true that nobody at the outset expected the season to reveal the local representatives in the light in which their form has done, the defeat of Buller having gone to confirm the excellent impression created by the manner in which the Ranfurly Shield holders were almost deprived of that trophy also. The lesson of the season is certainly that of the value of combination and training, the representative team having been brought this year oftener together than forn,erly, and having found thereby a greater team spirit, and a better understanding of eaehother’s play. The Buller team played a gallant game on Saturday, and it was really good, rather than indifferent, form which decided the issue. The effect should be to Improve the interest and the level of play in Illis district, during the next season, when the defence of the Seddon Shield will become an obligation. The trophy has an interesting’ history, having now being the subject of no fewer than sixty-one matches, of which Buller has participated in the greatest number, thirty-one, closely followed by Marlborough with thirty games, and Nelson with twenty-six whereas the West Coast, having only once before, for a very brief space, held the shield, has played for it. on seventeen occasions, and the Golden Bay-Motueka Union on eighteen occasions, since they began to play for it in 1922. The shield is to remain here this time for at least the better part of a year, as it will not again be played for till next season. Only once have the holders upon losing the shield challenged the same 1

season for it, Nelson in 1929, after holding it for a long period, being defeated by Marlborough, aril when the latter Jost it to Golden Bay, Nelson’s challenge to the latter seeing their team lose by 18 to 11. U th- sa-re vear 'V e < Coast vv.-.u*. as close to gaining the trophy as ever they did without succeeding when they lost by 13 to 9. Upon their capturing it Buller by consistently good play : ad retained +h<- shield until their colours were on Saturday lowered by the West Coasters. It is appropriate that this should be what might be termed the jubilee year of the Seddon Shield. It was at Blenheim, late in the year 1906 that a conference was held at which funds were donated to obtain it, and at the same timehonour the name of the Premier, whose fame was largely associated with this portion of the country. Marlborough had the lion our of being the first holders, and deserve to have it recorded that no fewer than nine challenges were successfully withstood before Buller by the small margin of a try to nil. became the second holders in the year 1910. In 1913 it again came Buller’s way, and remained with that Union until 1920 the competition having been in abeyance during the five years of the war period. Then it returnee to Marlborough for a couple of seasons, until Nelson won it, and in the following year, 1923, for the first time, the shield came here, when West Coast beat Nelson, but after playing a draw with Buller, West Coast three weeks aftei gaining it, had the trophy wrested from them by Golden Bay by a try to nil on a muddy field. Golden Bay-Motueka Union withstood five challenges until 1924- when it lost the shield for a year to Marlborough, who, after the

former union won it in 1925, i"“covered possession. Next year Nelson won the shield, and put up a record by retaining it through eleven challenges, ■ until 1929 when it went back to Marlborough, until the same season Golden Bay regained it. Buller were the next holders, and remained so from 1926 until Saturday. warding off ten challenges. Actual possession of the shield is not the main objective, but rather the improvement of play in a degree that will bear comparison with that of the best of the other districts interested. It would be a great mistake were the interest either of public or players to be centred merely in the shield, instead of being directed primarily to club play. The suc-

cess attained is simply an indication that the local standard ha' improved, and the idea must be to raise not merely fifteen, but at least fifty players capable of its defence. The team and th< Union deserve to be congratulated upon their achievement- which habeen a fitting finale for a very successful season.