Ranfurly Shield

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 181, 3 August 1938, Page 6

Ranfurly Shield

MANAWATU DOESN’T WANT CHALLENGE SIDETRACKED The decision of the 4 Otago Rugby Union to defer till {September 24 Manuwatu’s challenge for the Itanfurly {Shield was not received too kindly by the Manawatu Rugby Union last night. Earlier in tho season Manawatu louged a challenge for the shield, at that time held by toouthland, and the match was accepted for August 13. Under a recent rule adopted by the New Zealapd union, if possession of tho shield changes hands after dates for further challenges have been arranged, the team winning the trophy has to fullil the engagements accepted for the shield holders. On {Saturday last Otago lifted tho trophy from {Southland. The president (Mr. A. M. Ongiey) said Otago’s action in shifting the date of Manawatu’s challenge from August 13 to {September 24 seemed contrary to the new rule.

Mr. J. R. Hardie suggested that Otago might have an engagement for August 13. The new rule, said the chairman, had been adopted to prevent challenges being sidetracked.

If Manawatu drew the attention of tho New Zealand union to the matter, said Mr. Ongiey in reply to a question, there would be time for it to be considered beforo August 13. This was the first time the matter had cropped up since the new rule was adopted, and if it were to be broken, the rule would be useless.

The meeting decided to ask the New Zealand union to take to have Manawatu’s challenge played on August 13.