RUGBY FOOTBALL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22260, 7 November 1935, Page 11

RUGBY FOOTBALL

SENIOR COMPETITION

RECONSTRUCTION PROPOSED DELEGATES* APPROVAL SECURED In view of the somewhat unsatisfactory manner in which the senior championship terminated during the season just closed, a special meeting of dele- J! gates to the Auckland Rugby Union ' gave lengthy consideration to a number of recommendations formulated' with the object of securing an improvement fof next year. The meeting decided to approve of the following recommendations : (1) That the senior grade be divided into two divisions, tho first division and the second division. r (2) Thut entry to the- first division 'bo , open to any affiliated club with the proviso that before tho entry of any club will be accepted, (a) the club must provide proof that the club can field a team - up to first division standard; (b) the club, being a second divioion club, has earned "• - promotion in tho manner provided in ; clause 6 hereunder, but no club having a > tirsti division team will be allowed to enter another first division team. (3) That entry to tho second division be : *- open to any nffiliated club with the pro-• r viso that before the entry of any club will n ti 6 0 c ' u ' 3 must provide proof that tho club can field a team up to second -• division standard. '

One-Round Competition the senior first division comDC- . S 9 . be 08 follows :-(a) Gather " bhield: A one-round play-all competition ';, among the first division teams, the team j.. gaining highest number of champion- " ship points to be declared the winner of the shield. In tho event of teams tying, tho teams affected shall play off at the end of tho round, (b) Jubilee Trophy: A one-'S" round competition among first division . teams—the management committee having power to conduct the competition by the >'< division of the entries into sections, the winners of the sections to play off and tho winner of the play-off to Be declared tho' * winner of the trophy, (c) Grand cham- . v , Pions: The winners of the Gallaher Shield competition and of the Jubilee Trophy to he matched for the grand championship—the winner to be awarded championship caps. In the event of the same tea«i win- ' ning both competitions, that team shall be declared grand champions. (5) That the second division teams compete for the Thistle Cup, the number of rounds of play to be at the discretion of the management committee; the winner to'"' be declared second division champions and winner of the Thiefe Cup. (6) After the conclusion of the second •' division championships, the winner, if not • a club already in tho first division, shall be matched airainst the first division team which gained the lowest number of cham- • pionship points in the Gallaher Shield competition. If the second division team * is successful, then the winner will be pro- > moted to the first division and the loser will be relegated to the second division in the following season. (7) In the event of any club entering a .** w team in each division, any player shall be - allowed to play for either - division, pro- » vided that a player having:, played three *; matches in the first division will 'not be flowed to play for the second division without the consent of the management committee.

Benefit ot Proposals In connection with these recommends- ~ tions, it wis decided to stress the follow- \ ing points in their favour:— (a) Limitation of the number of senior teams has been lewoved in both divisions, I but before an entry for the first division ~ c ?n be granted the applicant club must "• either have proved its strength by de- i feating one of the first division teams or by producing satisfactory evidence of its playing strength. It is thought that this proposal will provide an inducement to the present B section clubs to build up with a view to attaining first division status and for the formation, of new clubs in other areas.

(b) The Gallaher Shield competition „ has been reduced to a one-round /competition. It is considered that two snort petitions provide more interest than a long two-round TLe commence- . ment of a second competition gives a new' impetus to teams which suffered early defeats in the first competition and enables them to have equal chances of winning the f second competition and the grand cham-a pionshin.

Co) The knock-out principle for the * Jubilee Trophy has been ' abandoned in favour of sectional play. The teams defeated in the early rounds of a'knockout do not_ (jet sufficient matches. A knock-out competition with from nine to 16 teams ia ' finalised in four Saturdays so that, if the a one-round Gallaher Shield competiti6n is adopted, it would be difficult to fill avail- ~ able Saturdays in some seasons. A sec-1' tional system of play is more elastio, as Z, the number of teams in each section can be adjusted so as to suit the f number of Saturdays available. The secon>t- division .. teams have been eliminated lrom the Jubilee Trophy competition because their h entry under the present recommendations A would completely upset their own compe- "" tition. - ' v' {

(d) It is recommended that some provision should be made for the promotion, as of right, of a second division club' if ' the team can defeat lowest tea's - in the Gallaher Shield competition, anii for the relegation of the farmer first division club to the t second division. This earned - Promotion will be in addition to the right ~ of application for promotion, so that it b would be open to the relegated club toapply for re : admission to the first division. If such application was made, consideration - could fce given to the team's performances. in the Jubilee Trophy matches. .