PROSPECTS FOR BUSH UNION

NZ Truth, Issue 1063, 8 April 1926, Page 12

PROSPECTS FOR BUSH UNION

Why Dannevirke Will Oppose Amalgamation (From "Truth's" Pahiatua Representative.) Bush Union clubs are looking forward to another successful season. ,

ALL the clubs have held their annual meetings and the annual meeting of the union has also taken place. The old president', R. J- ("Sonny") Smith, was re-elected. "Sonny", is also the union's delegate to the New Zealand Union. It is doubtful if there is : any player m New Zealand who has represented his province longer than "Sonny" Smith did— -over 20 years— and he, stil.l : plays for his old club, Konini, when Jtis; short, S. K. Siddells, the ex-Wellington and New "Zealand representative, is secretary and sole senior selector. Every one of the seven members of the, man-, agement committee — A. Bentley, T. ODea, A. Henry, E. L. Harvey, G. Gregory, H. J. Luoni and E. Lett — have at some time or other represented Bush m rep 'games, so players can rest assured that they will get fair treatment from this committee. There has been, submitted to all ) clubs m the Dannevirke and Puketoi: Sub-unions and m the Bush Uni.on a proposal to amalgamate all , .these' bodies into one central Rugby /Union called the Ruahine Rugby Union with headquarters at Wood- . yille. Much interesting 1 discussion . has arisen both' for and against the proposal. ■ '■■■"■■ '\ The Bush Union,-at its annual,meeting decided m favor of the amalgamation. The attitude of the Dannevirke Sub-union is not yet .-known as all their club discussions were taken m committee. ' ■. '•'.. • But the conclusion is certain. ; Dannevirke will undoubtedly turn the proposition down. Why? Firstly, Nepia and' Paewai have stated that ■ they; will not • play football m Dannevirke if the amalgamation takes place. ■ -'■• •••;■.■" It is such a pleasant sensation being on the winning side every timeM ; Again, the ... Hawke's. Bay W Rugby. Union',' 1 with its usual , foresight, has to air intents ..and purposes bought its sub-union over. - . It has .presented its sub-union with a cheque for £1000. to assist the finances qf Dannevirke's new ■football ground. '.■ - Five senior teams will do battle during the season— Pahiatua, Mangatainoka, Hamua, .Konini arid, Eketahuna. The Galvin Brothers There are indications of a very good junior competition,, no fewer "than ten teams being m sight. The third-grade competition . will have, four teams,; including the admission of the Pahiatua District High School. . - ' Hamua, last year's, senior champions' and. holders of ; the Studebaker Cup, will agarn be'a strong side this year, practically all their old side turning out. The three Galvin brothers wiil again don the black and white jersey and: will be the mainstay of the Hamua backs. There are mysterious rumors that Eketahuna will not field a senior team this year and that Ferguson, the Wairarapa rep, no\y resident m Eketahuna, will play for Hamua. ■ If Ferguson does play for Hamurf he will certainly be useful to the Bush as a speedy and clever wing three-quarter. ; Rumor has it, too, that' "Toe" Jo-

hansen' will play for the Hamua pack this year. Pahiatua, runners-up last year and winners of the Cowan Cup, 'will be strong again this year. Bill Tyree — ex-Manawatu rep, will again lead the all-whites, and if on his game will' be a tower of strength to the Pahiatua and the Bush parcks. Dashwood has retired m favor of Glof , and Pahiatua aAd the Bush reps are losing a good hooker and. a hard grafter. Graham — the clever fiveeighth — will again be the mainstay of •the white backs. Bowring, a senior forward from up King Country way, is playing for the white pack. He is 'stated to be "some good" and it is to be hoped that he will live up to his reputation. Pahiatua have got quite a lot of new blood and it will be interesting to see how they shape m their first , matches. > . • . . - "Jock"- Udy, • one of the great Udy football family, 1 will again play fullback for the whites. He is very sound and not for years past has the Bush had such a 1 valuable back-line custodian.." -■ . ' . ' Mangatainoka fell from grace last year and this season will be fused with some new blood from .the Svinners of the junior competition last year — KohTuri's, which club has disbanded. f Brown and Hunt are . retiring, but Bert Harvey, the veteran forward, will don the black jersey . once more. ', Harvey is still an excellent forward — a real general — and will be of great service to Toki. Konini have played' spasmodically for the past season or two and it is to be hoped that they will show better ,results this.yeai". There are too many old timers m the Konini team. Len Humphries, the Bush half, will probably captain the red and " . : blues. again. I Make them train and ..practise this year, Len! The standard of football has. improved ; m the [Bush during the last two or three years. .''•,' ••' Lack of Training It will not improve much more unti^ . players really learn to train conscientiously and the teams practise assiduously. ' . There are so many teams that the players find no difficulty m se- | curing a place m one team or other. ' ■The consequence is that lack of , competition for places, m a team • ". means no training, no team practice and Jas a ; result poorer football. '• Only by improving the standard of football \can the Bush reps expect to get games with the bigger unions. The Bush Union has held the Beb•bington Shield for three years past. Last year both the challenges of Horowheriua and Dannevirke were stalled off. •■ ;■•."■ It might be mentioned, too, that the . Dannevirke team which comprised ; Nepia, Paewai, Walker, Craven and Jensen, all Hawkes Bay, reps, was of ■ no avail against the splendid fight the Bush forwards put up. . ■ ' '• We have the makings of a great pack, here m the Bush, but the , backs, unfortunately, are few and i far between. ' , / ■ ' The opening matches for this season < have been fixed for May 8. c