FOOTBALL SEASON OPENS

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVII, Issue 4386, 29 April 1933, Page 5

FOOTBALL SEASON OPENS

NEW GROUNDS TO BE USED. ON SATURDAY, MAY 6th. At the meeting of the management committee of the Maniapoto Rugby Union it was decided to coincide the official opening of the new football ground with the opening of the championship round on May 6th. Te Kuiti and Hangatiki share the pride •of place for the first teams to play on the ground. A novel event will be the staging of a cycle race by the Te Kuiti Cycle Club before and during half time of the match. An invitation is to be extended to Mr. J. L. Robinson, president of the K.C.R.U., to perform the opening ceremony. Mr. Mangu Maata, of Pio Pio, has been appointed selector to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr.' Moore, who is leaving the district. The Referees' Association submitted a resolution recommending the appointment of three members to the Appointment Board instead of one as was the previous practice. This was approved, Messrs. Joseph, Elliott and Wilson being appointed to the Board. A point of interest to all Clubs with regard to junior players over the age of nineteen years is that each Club must shoulder the responsibility of ascertaining that any player over that age does not exceed the weight limit of 12 stone 7lbs. The penalty will be the forfeiture of all matches in which the player participated. During the meeting the chairman took the opportunity of announcing that the King Country Rugby Union has decided to issue a challenge for the Ranfury Shield this season. This announcement will no doubt be in the nature of a surprise, but considering the meritorious performances of the King Country reps, last year, this aspiration is well deserved. Memory is still fresh of the decisive victory the King Country scored at the expense of the formidable Maori touring team and also of the defeat of the no less redoubtable Waikato reps., one of last yeai*'s challengers for the coveted Ranfurly Shield. The draw for the first round of the senior competition is as follows, home teams being mentioned first:— I,—Manganeehi v. Nehe, at Mangapeehi. Referee —Hall. Te Kuiti v. Hangatiki, at Te Kuiti. Referee—Sheppard. 2.—Pio Pio v. Hangatiki at Pio Pio Pio. Referee—Joseph. Mangapeehi v. Te Kuiti, at Te Kuiti. Referee—lngpen. 3.—Pio Pio v. Te Kuiti, at Pio Pio. Nehe v. Hangatiki, at Te Kuiti. 4.—Pio Pio v. Mangapeehi, at Mangapeehi. Nehe v. Te Kuiti, at Te Kuiti. s.—Pio Pio v. Nehe, at Te Kuiti. Mangapeehi v. Hangatiki, at Hangatiki. The junior draw, owing to the fact that it is not yet definitely decided if Mangapeehi will be entering a team in that division, will not take place until Monday.