Selecting N.A. Rugby Teams

Northern Advocate, 22 April 1939, Page 5

Selecting N.A. Rugby Teams

j Criticism of methods followed in i selecting the provincial side, which was I very vocal in some centres last seaI son, was ventilated at the meeting of the North Auckland Rugby Union last night. After a long discussion, a majority favoured adhering to the present arrangement of a sole selector, charged with the full responsibility of choosing the final fifteen, but assisted in an advisory capacity by zone selectors to choose trial teams.

Mr I. (."Bunny”) Finlayson was appointed sole selector, with Mr J. Sowter to officiate in the northern zone and Mr B. D. Gould, from two nominations, in the southern zone. i Mandatory Trial Matches. It was also decided to reinstate trial matches in each of the zones, at which the sole selector will be requested to attend. To prove that the principle adopted by the North Auckland Union was fairly sound, Mr L. J. Brake, president, quoted the policy of the New Zealand Union in having a selector for each island with a third man to choose the All Blacks. Northern Wairoa opinion was that the area was too large for one man to cover, said Mr P. Brydon. With a committee of three to select North Auckland teams, the claims of more players would receive consideration, and the work would be more thoroughly and efficiently done.

“Far North not Represented.”

Seconding Mr Brydon's amendment, Mr J. Cowie said that last season Mangonui players had not been seen in action on their home ground either by Mr Ifwersen or the northern zone selector.

“There has been a feeling in the Far North that we are not represented in the selection of teams,” said Mr A. W. Masters (Mangonui). - For three selectors, who might all be resident in the southern or northern end of the province, to cover the whole ground might be more difficult than with the present arrangement, Mr J. D. Finlayson (Otamatea) foresaw. Local zone selectors should have a more intimate knowledge of the players, and could do the work much less expensively.

The Human Element.

If the zoning system had been continued as originally designed, it would have been quite satisfactory, provided the resident selector travelled about his territory and worked in the closest possible collaboration with' the sblo selectors, said Mr A. McFarlane (Wha-

ngaroa). Likelihood of compromise arose with a committee of three, and when that system had been in vogue there had been rumours, unfounded he believed, of names having been put into a hat.

Crux of the matter was the human element, and it was up to the zone selectors to move about among the players and assemble their best sides for the trials said Mr Brake. It was desirable that the final selector should be a highly competent man, who would himself visit all the sub-unions, if that was humanly possible. Nc Selector at Big Games. There had been instances in the past two seasons when Harding Shield matches and other major fixtures were played without a North Auckland selector being in attendance, Mr Brydon retorted.

In the experience of Mr J. Joyce, (Whangarei), sole selectorship stood out head and shoulders above any other method. The amendment was defeated in favour of the existing system being retained.