RUGBY IN WAIRARAPA

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7853, 15 July 1911, Page 14

RUGBY IN WAIRARAPA

No. 11.

Tho year 1882 saw Rugby stronger than [ ever in Wairarapa. Tho Athletic and ( Wellington clubs sent teams from the Empire City to play Mastcrton and 1 Greytown respectively, and in each case the" countrymen won. Athletic met Masterton on May 2-lth tho teams lining ; out as follows: Athletic—full-back, Mor-i rah; halves, Thompson, Campbell (caj)tain); tlireequarter, Dumbell; quarterbacks, Berry, Hastings; forwards, Hick- , son, Inchle, Bolton, King, C. Smith, McGregor Pratt, Connal, Kivill. Master 1 ton —full-back, Meredith; threoquarter, J. Perry; halves, W. Perry, A. L. Web- | ster; quarters. J. Hawke, F. H. Smith ; ; forwards, C. Morrison, W. Harvey, . j McKenzie "(captain), H. Bannister, J. i Bannister, A. J. Welch, W. Warded. B. : McLachlan, A. Smith. Maeterton won by two trios (scored by F. 11. Smith) to ono try notched by C. Smith. At Greytown on the same day Wellington wore defeated by Greytown by one goal and two trios to nil. The teams* on that occasion were as follow: Wellington— Lvnch (contain), TTowlius-s, McCardle, ; Renner. Gibb's, Firth, Fleming, Haggard, Flint, Holmes, Peat, Harty, Kreeit, James, Austin. Greytown—Tidy (captain), ; Ronaldson, C. Bidwell, R. Hirschberg. G. Saywcll, Palmer, Beard, Maguire, Webster, Humphries, Tocker, F. Maxion, Desmond, Cameron, Somerville.

Wellington Rugby Cup. In J 833 a cup, known as tho Wellington Rugby Union Association Cup, was played for by the Wellington and Wairarana clubs, the champion team of the Empire City meeting the champion team of Wairarapa in Wellington in the final. Greytown ami Masterton met on the latter's ground on Juno 17th to decide who should have tho honour of playing Athletic (the Wellington premiers) in the final game. Four spells of twenty minutes each were played and Greytown emerged victorious from the frav by one goal and tiro tries to nil. Anil so it came about that Greytown mot Athletic at Wellington for possession of Uie cup, the teams being as follow: Athletic (blue and black)—backs, Morrah, Thompson, Dumbell. Davy and Kirk; forwards, Campbell (captain). 801. ton, Brown, Smith, Jewett, King, Mansill, Pratt, McGregor, Cooper. Greytown (reel, blue and black)—backs, Day, Somerville, Donaldson, Ilirschberg, Saywell, McMaster: forwards, Udy (captain), Macguire, Beard, Cameron, Humphries, Webster, Bid well, Desmond, Tocker. Mr J. P. Firth was referee. After a desperate struggle Athletic won by 5 points (a try scored by Brown and concerted by Dumbell) to nil. ■ Some exception was taken by the Greytown nlayers to Jewett, a Christchurch player who was on a visit to Wellington, taking the field for Athletic but eventually tho countrymen decided to allow him ’to play. More Honours for Wairarapa. It was in 1882 that the drat New South Wales team visited New Zealand and turn matches were arranged with Wellington. The visitors had a strong team, and the Elmpiro City, anxious to put the best team possible in the field, drew largely on the Wairarapa for her complement. In the first match tho Wellington team was as follows; Full-back, T. S. Eonaldson (Wairarapa) captain; tlireequartors, G. C. Heenan, J. A. Thompson, H. T. McCardcll; half. It. Ilirschberg (Wairarapa); forwards. G. P. C. Campbell, H. Udy (Wairarapa), H. C. Roberts, J. Peat, D. A. Cooper, B. Horvey, C. Beard (Wairarapa), J. Somerville (Wairarapa! and C. B. Morison (Wairarapa!. Tire visitors won by 2 goals and 2 tries to one try (scored by 11. Udy). In the second match C. Ward, B. Harvey, G. C. Heenan, R. Ilirschberg, J. McMaster, T. S. Konaldson, K. Udy and Somerville were replaced by J. Brown, E. Connal, J. P. Firth, A. O. Gibbes. It. C. Kirk, J. McGregor. G. H. Smith and P. P. Webb but the Cornstalks won easily again, this time by one goal and two tries to nil. In 1883 Masterton and Greytown clayed three drawn games in the contest to seo who would play in the final for the Union Cup, and as it was getting late in the season Masterton withdrew in Gre.vtown's favour. The latter met Wellington and played a drawn game, thus accounting for Greytmvn’s name being coupled with Wellington’s on the senior championship list of the Wellington Rugby Union. Wairarapa Again Defeated. After a lapse of four years the Wellington and Wairarapa representative teams again met, the contest taking place on the Newtown Park on July 12th, 1834 The Wellington team included Davy, Dumbell, Roberts and Webb, New Zealand representatives, while Wairarapa wore without the services of Web. stor, Tocker and McMaster of Greytown, and Harvey, Bothune, Hawke and Ranganui of Masterton. Further Wairarapa landed in Wellington three men short and the services of Varhara, Bunny and Ronaldson had to bo enlisted. The latter, however, hurt one of his shoulders at tho beginning of the second spell and retired Wairarapa playing'a man short. In these circumstances it is small wonder that the country players were defeated, hot it was not,till after a sharp struggle that Wellington was able to claim a victory. Thompson scored a try for Wellington which was converted and Dumbell kicked a goal from the field while Wairarapa failed to score.

A return match played at Greytown on September Sth, 18S4 was won by Wellington by ono goal to nil. The Wnirarapa team on that occasion was; Harvey, McLachlan, Hawke, C. Perry, J. Perry, W. Perry, Cameron. Tidy. Beard, F. Tally, MiAchell, Cameroji, Webster, Humphries, Wenham. Tile Greytown and Masterton teams met on July 26th, 1884 in their heat for tho Union Cup when the former won by one try (scored by Wenham) to nil. Greytown met Athleitio in the final at Wellington on August Sth, and Buffered defeat by ono goad and 3 tries to one goal.

A New Zealand Rep. In ISS4 it was decided to send a New Zealand representative team to tour Australia and H. Udy, of Greytown, was selected as a member.

Masterton a Strong Club. In 1885 football “boomed" in Masterton and the Masterton Club were able I to put a very strong fifteen in the field, i In the first heat for the Union Cup. : played on June 27th, 1885, Masterton) had no difficulty in putting down thoir once-formidable_ opponents, Greytown, by 14 points to nil. J. Perry scored three I tries and W. Perry one, two of which ' Polling converted. In the final heat against Carterton on July 4th in Tickerstaff’s paddock, Masterton were again victorious, this time by 16 to nil. In the final against Wellington on August i Bth, however, Masterton found their 1 Waterloo going under by throe tries to I nil. The Materton teams on that oc- j

Interesting History

By Ben Ivcson. [All Rights Reserved.)

casion was: C. Perry, j. Perry, Felling, \V. Perry, O’Connor, Holimvood, backs; Whatman, V. Perry, 11. Hounslow. Itanoinui, J. Bannister, C. Bannister, Beeohey, W. Harvey, Chennells, torwards. . , , In 1885 tho Greytown team comprised J Terry A. Beard, Wenham, J. Humpiiries, J. Tocker, J. Beard, backs; U. Udy (captain), A. L. Webster, C. Udy, B. Cdv, F. Jackson, C. Beard, A. Beard, A. Udy, D. Cameron. The Carterton team included W. Strang, T. A. Bwen, Rutherford, W. Dempsey, R. Kemble, E. Mercer, R. Goodin, A, Mercer, C. Reid, A. Armstrong, F. Fairbrotber, T. Moore, F. Peters, C. Robinson, A. Moore. On July 11th, 1835 the Greytown and Carterton teams played a drawn game (no score) and on August 22nd Masterton defeated Carterton by 14. to nil. On July 18th a match took place between the junior teams of Greytown and Carterton resulting in a win for the latter bv 3 to nil. In 1835 K. M. D. Whatman, of Masterton, one of the greatest forwards tho North Island has turned out. and the “whitest” of sports, was selected in the Wellington team which defeated Hawke’s Bay by 4, points to nil. A Big Year.

The year 18SS marked a new epoch in the history of football in Wairarapa—the formation of a separata Rugby Union from Wellington. This important matter emanated from Mr S. H. Wickersen, a member of the Masterton Football Club, who at the annual meeting of his club on March 6th, 1886 moved "that it is desirable in the interests of football in tho district that a Wairarapa Union be formed and that other clubs in the Valley bo asked to co-operate." The motion was seconded by Mr O’Connor and, after some discussion, carried. Other clubs in the Wairarapa were communicated with on the matter, and, as a result a meeting of delegates was held in the Marquis of Normanby Hotel, Carterton on Saturday March 27th, t£S6 at which the union was duly formed. Those present on that occasion were Messrs F. W. E. Seed (chairman), Ewen, Dempsey (Carterton), McKenzie, O’Connor, Wickerson (Masterton), Jackson, Webster and Beard (Greytown). The following officials were appointed: Patron, Mr W. C. Buchanan; president. Mr G. Beotham; vice-presidents, Messrs J. P. Russell, A. R. Bunny, F. W. R. Seed; secretary and treasurer, Mr Jackson: management committee, Messrs Wickerson, W. McKenzie, A. L. Webster, Beard, Dempsey; match committee, Messrs Seed, McKenzie, Maguire. It was decided that tho colours be grew jerseys and stockings, black knickerbockers and black velvet cap, the jersey and can to have the initials W.K.F.U. on them. Rules and by-laws were subsequently drawn up and arrangements made fur holding senior and junior-, competitions. In football history _ this season was marked as the most important in the Wairarapa up til! then, as several events happened which are always referred to by old footballers as landmarks—the formation of the* Wairarapa Rugby Football Union, the defeat of the Wellington Union by its offshoot and the visit of the New South Wales team to the district.