OUT IN THE OPEN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 28 April 1937, Page 9

OUT IN THE OPEN

RUGBY FOOTBALL NOTES NELSON’S REPRESENTATIVE PROGRAMME FEW TOURING TEAMS THIS YEAR The Nelson Rugby Union's senior club fool bail will have less interruptions than usual by representative fixtures this year, the total number of Saturdays on which play will he suspended being six.

Tnc first home and home match with Marlborough will be played at Nelson on the 2tilli .June, and the visit will he lepaid on the 10th July. On the 31st Juiv a trial match for flic selection ol the team to meet South Africa at Blenheim will he played at Nelson between Marlborough and Nelson-Golden Bay-Motueka. Nelson will play Golden Bay-Motucka at Motueka on the 21 si August, and Nelson s Seddon Shield challenge date is the 11th September. The Nelson delegate to the New Zealand Rugby Unions annual meeting (Mr F. .1. Lock) reported to the management committee this week that very lew unions will have louring teams tins year en account ol the Springboks lour. The only tours being undertaken are by teams challenging lor Shields. However there was a possibility of the New Zealand Maori team visiting Nelson. Golden Bay and Buller.

The union decided to make representations to the New Zealand Union for the Maori team to visit the districts mentioned, and the other unions interested are to be asked to forward a similar request.

Schools' Tournament at Motueka The Seadon Shield Districts' Primary Schools’ Tournament has this year been allotted to Mctueka. The Nelson delegate to the New Zealand Rugby Union's annual meeting (Mr F. J. Lock) reported to the weekly meeting ol the Nelson Union that Mr H. Manoy (Golden Bay-Motueka) had expressed the desire of the Bay Union to hold the tournament in Motueka, and the request had been granted. If Motueka for any reason did not weep) the fixture, the Buller Union was keen to have it. Valuable Players Among the new senior players in the Nelson Rugby championship this year ii D. Brindson, who played in the hall position for the Manawatu representatives last season. Brindson has joined the Rival Club, and his appearance behind the scrum of that club’s senior team at the Park next Saturday will be watched with interest.

The Old Boys’ Club has secured the services of C. Costello, a most promising half-back who played for the Marlborough junior representatives last season when he was a member of the Opawa Club. Costello will play lor Old Boys’ senior team next Saturday. J. King, Old Boys and Nelson representative full-back last year, has retired. hut he will continue his interest in the game as a member of the Referees' Association. It is a wonder one of the clubs has not secured King’s services as a coach.

'ourth Class Players Wanted For a number of years the Nelson Rugby Union and the clubs have made efforts to establish a strong fourth class competition, but difficulty has been experienced in getting enough players. The College teams have in the past been the mainstay of the competition. At this week’s meeting of the Union both the Rival and Nelson Club delegates stated that there were vacancies in their teams for fourth class boys, and it was hoped that many would make applications to those clubs for membership. There are also vacancies in the Old Boys' third class team.

Country School Football An effort is being made this year to organise school football, and run a

competition, in the country districts. Mr A. C. Price (schools' delegate) at Monday’s meeting of the Rugby’ Union, said it was hoped to combine the smaller schools and run a competition between Richmond, Hope-Appleby-Ranzau, Waimea West-Brightwater-Spring Grove. Wakefield-Wai-iti. School Grant Mr H. Richardson, vice-president, at the weekly meeting of the Nelson Rugby Union, said he regretted the New Zealand Union had not increased the grant for school football. It was to the younger players in the schools to whom the unions looked to fill the ranks in the clubs, and the New Zealand Union would be spending money wisely in encouraging the game in the schools. Flouted Year after Year At the weekly meeting of the Nelson Rugby Union Management Committee, Mr A. Croucher referred to thee rule which required each player in all clubs to be financial with his club by a certain date each year.

Mr H. M. Richardson said it was a ru'e which had been flouted year after year. After the expiry of the time allowed for players to become financial, the clubs vouched for all their players, but if later on. or at the end of the season, any players washed to transfer to other clubs, there were usually objections on the grounds that the players were not financial.

All Japan Team The possobility of a visit from a Japanese team next year was discussed at the annual meeting of the New Zealand P.ugby Union. The game has gained in popularity in Japan in recent years, and no doubt keen interest would be taken in such a tour. Waimea v. Nelson The game between Nelson and VVaimea at the Park on Saturday was played at a good pace for a first-of-season match, but there was little combination between either backs or forwards. Both sets of backs were given plenty of opportunities (Waimea in the first half, and Nelson in the second), but their attempts at passing were poor Grey, who played lor Rover last year, occupied the full back position for Nelson and proved quite safe throughout the game. Blair twice demonsrtated his ability to cross the line for tries when it was necessary to act smartly He promises to be one of the nest wingers in Nelson this year. The form of Mason. McMorland and McLaren

was not impressive, but Cooke and Turley nave indications that they would prove a good combination Cooke brought oft’ some very useful work on defence. Among Nelson’s most prominent for-

wards was Atkinson, a promoted junior. He showed plenty of pace and good anticipation of the play, and was rewarded for his energetic work by a try. McLean and Phillips gave good performances, and Fleet was prominent at times. The others found tne pace a bu hard to keep with, but their scrum is solid, and with the usual training this team receives it will be hard to beat in the forwards The Waintea I'ull-back, Brooks, relieved his side tront many diflicult positions, his anticipation ot the play, as usual, proving valuable. His only mistake was a bad one 'or it cost his side a try when he brought tl <• ball out from behind Waimca’s line and made a weak clearing kick into Blair’s hands Phipps was a weak winger, but O'Connor showed plenty of pace and should be a fairly valuable scoring man it the inside backs do their part. Craig did some valuable work for his side, but his services would have been more appreciated in the forwards than at centre. There was little combination between Williams. Brown and fowler.

Among the country team s forwards were some solid workers, particularly Gomez, McHarg, G. Lu.,1./ and Brown. A. Lusiy’s raking of he orb was good in the first half, but when his -.ciam was weakened in the second half Nelson gained most of the ball from the scrums. With coaching the team should show much improvement as the season advances. Marlborough’s Big Year The Marlborough Rugb.v Union has a big programme arranged lor the season which has just opened. Its fixtures include the usual home and home matches with Nelson, four Seddon Shield games, a southern tour including a Kanfiniy Shield challenge, and a match at Blenheim between the Springboks and Marlborough-Nelson-Golden Bay Marlborough have built up a strong representative team and have an enthusiastic management committee well able to organise the programme arranged lor. It is hoped, however, that the representative fixtures can be handled without interrupting club football to such an extent that the competitions will not hold the players’ interest.