RUGBY CONTROL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 197, 22 July 1931, Page 9

RUGBY CONTROL

MANAWATU DISTRICT COUNCIL. MEETING OF MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. The weekly meeting of the management committee of the Manawatu Rugby District Council was held last night when there were present: Messrs J. A. Colquhoun (in the chair), Joblin, Eglinton, Hands, Arnott, McHerron, Crawford. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs Hardie, Hatch and Skoglund. The Horowhenua. District Council wrote making the request that the first of the home and home fixtures be advanced to Saturday, and August 8 for the return match. —It was the general opinion of members that it would be impossible to fulfill the fixture on Saturday and a motion to that effect was carried. The date of the return match was allowed to remain as August 15 ,

The Oroua Sub-Union advised that they had suggested to Te Kawau that the Wallace Cup fixture be played at Feilding on Saturday, August !. It was asked that the gate receipts, be divided between the two sub-unions and, further, that in view of Manawatu’s diffidence in fielding a R team a team selected from the Fielding Clubs be substituted in the competition.—No objection was taken, to the suggested date, but the sub-unions are to be informed that they may be liable for plavers for the Manawatu team to oppose Horowhenua on the same date. It was also agreed . to give the nett gate to the sub-unins, while the suggestion as to the Feilding Clubs furnishing the opposition in the Wallace Cun contests is to be submitted to the To Kawau Sub-Union for its oninion. G. Millard, Bainesse. wrote tendering the explanation that he had been unable to participate in the North v. South match owing to bavin - developed a boil on the leg. M. and U. Moffatt, who had also been absentees, explained that they had been engaged in concrete work on the day of the match. —Received. The Central School extended thanks for the gift of two midget footballs. The Hokowliitu School also acknowledged receint of a. ball for their get team.—Received. The nriooinal of the 'Feilding Agricultural Hioh School wrote nqintdue out that if the Canton in the Kia Tea fourth grade team was identical with C'iff Canton this nlayer was not eligible to plav in that nrade in that he was born on March 12. 1913. and was thus over 18 on Mav 1. It was asked what evidence of age the council required or accepted in cases such as the present one.—The Kia Toa Club is to be requested to forward Canton’s birth certificate. The Kia Toa Club made a request that, as the season was now well advanced, it would be preferable for the early games to revert to 1.30 p.m. — Mr Crawford mentioned that the two teams affected in the Kia Toa Club on Saturday were at short strength at the official hour and the players maintained that they were finding it difficult to reach the ground in time to take the field at 1.15 p.m. The chairman commented that the days were now growing longer and it was decided to amend the starting hours of play to 1.30 p.m. GENERAL. Arrangements were made for the team to leave for Eketahuna, to-day week. Mr C. W. White was appointed to manage it. Permission was given the Primary Schools’ Association to play a trial match on the oval at the Showgrounds on Saturday morning. Messrs Arnott and Hands were requested to furnish a report on the question of fencing, the Park Road area. SATURDAY’S FIXTURES. Seniors. —Feilding Old Boys v. Kia Toa, Showgrounds (Mr D. Heggie); Palmerston North Old Boys v. United, Showgrounds (Mr H. Choate); Feilding v. Massey College, Feilding (Mr H. Hands). Juniors. —Palmerston North Old Boys A v. Feilding Old Boys, Feilding (Mr I. Robinson); Bunnythorpe v. .United, Bunnythorpe (Mr L. Cope); Palmerston North Old Boys B v. Kia Toa, Showgrounds (Mr E. Seeker); Palmerston North High School v. St. Patrick’s, Showgrounds (Mr A. McKegg); Woodville v. Massey College, Showgrounds (Mr A. Gordon). . Third grade.—St. Patrick’s v. Kia Toa, Park Road (Mr F. Garner); Kelvin Springboks v. Y.M.C.A., Park Road (Mr G. Cooksley); Palmerston North Old Boys v. United, Park Road (Mr L. G. Berry); Feilding High School v. Feilding, at Feilding (Mr J. Holman). Fourth grade.—Palmerston North High School v. Feilding High School Feilding (Mr R. E. Hatch); Woodville v. Kia Toa, Park Road (Mr H. Dorrington). Fifth grade. —Gordon v. Technical; Albion v.: Phoenix; Kia Ora v. St. Patrick’s (Mr R. N. McCulloch). Sixth grade.—Gordon v. Technical

A; Kia Ora v. Technical; Albion v. Phoenix. Midgets.—Central B v. College Street B. FINAL ROUND OPENED. WHO WILL BE THE CHAMPIONS? (By “Cross Bar.’’) Senior teams turned the final* corner 1 in the 19,51 competition on Saturday,, but there may still be changes in positions. United meantime retain their one point lead from Kia Toa. Prior to the day, Feilding Old Boys had been expected to prove an upsetting influence in the final round, but United proved successful on . Saturday. In all probability the prevailing conditions favoured the whites rather than the greens. Such has been the uncertainty of football this season that it was quite expected that Massey College, dospito being on the bottom rung of the ladder, would furnish Kia Toa with strong opposition on Saturday. The Collegians made a bold bid for the honours, but the city team proved to be the masters. Good football was out of tho question, and spectators at the Kia Toa-Masscy College meeting had little to enthuse over. However, it was undoubtedly a real test of physical strength where the frontal divisions were concerned, and it was not surprising to find the players quite exhausted all tho finish. Supporters of Kia Toa could not have felt over enthusiastic as to the outcome of their match on Saturday when Massey College held the double blues to a hare three points in the opening spell, particularly as the city team had had the high wind at their backs during the first spell. However, while tho double blues had some escapes on occasion, they took a greater share of the play as tho game progressed and fully earned their victory. J. Le Quesne proved himself a great leader of the Massey College pack against Kia Toa, his opportune saving when the Collegians were being hard pressed in the first spell being distinctly valuable. Like his younger brother, he can got his kick in when having but little room in which to do so. While the College pack lacked a little of the fire of the opposing set, they proved themselves to be a hard working seven. Although it was impossible to expect the back divisions to handle to any extent, the Kia Toa rearguard did quite well individually and were probably more solid on defence than the opposition. C. Le Quesne and Tuckey probably stood out in the College back line, although on the few occasions when Peterson secured possession he made determined bids. Despite the fact that MclCay, the Kia Toa full-back, appears somewhat slow, it is probably tho length'of his stride which gives one that opinion, for he was always up to the leather on Saturday when it came his way. His line kicking was par excellence; indeed, it must have been heart breaking to the opposition. However, there is all too much long kicking indulged in by forwards when they break free. By keeping the ball at their toes, they would offer senior full-backs some real tests. What tests came his way on Saturday McKay proved fuliy capable of dealing with and there promises to be a great contest for tho position of fullback in tho ranks of Manawatu. OLD BOYS v. FEILDING. The No. 4 area at the Showgrounds was a veritablo quagmire, but the game was not the forward scramble that had been anticipated. Old Boys speedily . became acclimatised to the! conditions and centred the attack in the backs. Though the movements were lacking in brilliance, they served the purpose of dividing the Feilding defence, which proved inadequate and too slow. Tho black rear division was mobile and speedy, and, liberal allowance being made for the greasy ball, they gave a good display. The Feilding forwards kept the ball tight wherever possible, but were dangerous only in the closing stages when they fully asserted themselves. The black were seen only .in defensive play. UNITED- Y. FEILDING OLD BOYS. Tho defence of both United and Feilding Old Boys was of a high order when they met at Johnston Park on Saturday, that of the greens being particularly sound in the second spell. For the greater part of the 40 minute period Old Boys were obliged to stand up to a heavy and sustained attack, and that they kept their vigorous opponents out shows that, although for the last two or throe games their penetrating ability has been lacking they are still alert to the needs of tho moment. The high wind which was blowing directly up and down the field gave every advantage to tho side which was playing with it, and when Old Boys won the toss it was confidently expected that they would change over at half ; time with a fair total of points. Their failure to do this caused surprise to their supporters, but there were few if any who guessed that a win by penalty points only would see the end of the game. On several occasions it seemed inevitable that the green line must be pierced by United, but there was always someone to step the breach. United, however, were in scoring mood when they launched their final assault on the gre?n goal, and although the obstructing of Ivclls by J. Dewc xkas quite unintentional the penalty kick which gave the whites victory was rightly their reward, for from the stand it seemed that Kells must have scored. Good football, with the wind that was raging, plus a wet and heavy ground, was not to be expected, but in tho face of these obstacles, both sides put up a good performance. The United rearguard was the more enterprising, but both teams showed a tendency to neglect the wings. Kells particularly was not called on, while Campbell was also kept without the ball more than he should have been. Old Boys certainly had a junior player in Bridge on one wing in whom the greens could hardly hope to rely on to the same extent as a senior player, but on the opposite wing M. Amadio was not able to do much through lack of

leather. N. Bramwell, the Old Boys skipper, was the chief offender in this respect, and his continued reluctance to get the wingers away while they still had time and space to operate spelt tho undoing of many a move. It was an even, duel between the rearguards of the two teams, with the defensive honours a shade on tho side of the greens, for during their spell against tho wind, when they had to defend tho most, United were not subjected to the stiff offensive which they in turn directed on the home forces. The green vanguard played a willing game but it becomes increasingly evident that they will have to guard against infringing. Under ordinary kicking conditions, both Fearnley and R. Ormond would have turned the two kicks they had to account as both of them were in the homo team’s twenty-five, and near the front of the posts. United were not guiltless in the matter of infringements, but N. Amadio had a much longer range and a more acute angle to pilot tho leather through with the two unsuccessful attempts he had. There were many favourable comments on the refereeing of Rev. P. 11. Leonard, of Marton. Decisive in his rulings, there appeared to be no infringement which did not catch the eye of the roforeo and his able control had the effect of keeping a hard fought game in the most excellent spirit. THE* JUNIORS. Prior to Saturday there were five teams in the firing line for the junior championship, but the outcome of tho day’s games left Bunnythorpe and Old Boys A on top. However, they have a long way to go yfet and Kia Toa, Woodville and High School may still play a part. Both Old Boys A and Bunnythorpe have suffered two losses, but whereas the former club lost to Bunnythorpe and High School, the suburban team experienced their reverses at the hands of Woodville and St. Patricks —one of tho low placed teams. High School failed to reproduce their form of the previous week against Bunnythorpe 'and, with the country team being three points up at the interval after having battled against the wind, the outcome was a foregone conclusion, although the schoolboys made a fight of it for half the spell after which the scores came quickly. In tho tight work the physical strength of the Bunnythorpe forwards was superior to that of the schoolboys. Play was hard, but not at all rough, and the mishap which lead to Chin’s retirement with slight concussion was simply done. A penalty was ruled against the Bunnythorpe player for pushing Chin from behind which resulted in the High School rover pitching on to his head. Law 19 (b) which governs tho point, and does, not seem to have been well compiled, reads: “A player overtaking an opponent also running for the ball must not shove from behind, unless he is stooping for the ball” —a dangerous rule, particularly when both players are running at top speed, which necessitates the maji in front stooping some yards before actually reaching the ball. From the records of the Broome Shield, the trophy which goes to tho winners of the junior championship, “Cross Bar” finds that Awahuri were tho successful competitors away back in ISO 3, but another country team did not come into the picture till 1919 when Jackeytown won .it and repeated the performance the following season; Should Bunnythorpe gain the honours this season, it will be tho first occasion on which the maroons have figured in the records in this ■ grade, although in 1927 they shared the honours with Feilding High School in tho third grade. UNITED CLUB’S EFFORT. The task of financing Rugby clubs tinder the conditions which at present prevail is no light one and it devolves on the executive to assist many of its members, more particularly the younger ones in some, instances. With a view to building up its funds the United Club purposes holding a dance function in the Cosmopolitan Club to-night when a hearty welcome awaits all patrons. In the past the efforts of tho club have proved highly enjoyable and visitors can be assured that to-night’s function will prove no exception.