OTAGO RUGBY UNION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21578, 25 February 1932, Page 3

OTAGO RUGBY UNION

FIFTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT

The fifty-first annual report of the Otago Rugby Football Union, to be presented at the annual meeting on March 16, states that the past year can be looked back on with every satisfaction. The weather throughout the season was very good, though one or two of the important flag fixtures were interfered with by adverse conditions. The number of players taking part in interclub and school matches continues to increase, and even with the extra grounds at the disposal of the union difficulty has been experienced at times in accommodating all the teams playing. The extra grounds at Logan Park and East Park have proved of great help. . Two senior matches were played at Carisbrook when possible, and the attendance at the early matches proved that patrons appreciate witnessing the two games. This also enabled the Flag Committee to give some teams an opportunity of playing at Cansbrook more frequently than they would otherwise have been able to arrange. The various grade competitions were again closely contested. The First Grade competition proved a most interesting one, the issue being in doubt until the end of the second round. The committee desires to congratulate the following on winning the various shields:- —First Grade, University A; Second Grade, Alhambra B; >Third Grade, High School; Fourth Grade, M'Glashan College; Fifth Grade, Southern; Sixth Grade, Southern. During the season a visit was received from an Australian team, which created a great deal of interest in Rugby circles. The Australians met Otago at Carisbrook on August 22, and a fast, open game resulted in a draw of three points each. The match attracted a large attendance. The Otago representative team toured the North Island last season and created a very favourable impression by the excellent games it put up during the tour. The following are the results of the matches played by Otago last season: — v. Southland, at Invercargill—lost 11 to 3; v, Wairarapa, at Dunedin—won 12 to 3; v. Wellington, at Wellington—lost 13 to 11; v. Manawhenua, at Palmerston North —won 18 points to 11; v. Auckland, at Auckland —won 18 to 6; v. Taranaki, at Hawera —won 28 to 8; v. Canterbury, at Christchurch —lost 17 to 6; v. Southland, at Dunedin —won 41 to 3. Summary: Played 8, won 5, lost 3. As usual, two junior representative matches were played, and good form was shown by these young players. The matches resulted as follows;—v. Canter-bury-lost 5 to 22; v. Eastern Districts, at Dunback —lost 5 to 20. The game of Rugby continues to flourish in the country districts, and keen interest continues to be shown in club and county matches. The annual conference between country delegates and representatives of the union was held in Dunedin on March 26, when matters of mutual interest were discussed. It was decided to hold a Country Week again in Dynedin, and combined teams from Maniototo and Vincent, Tuapeka and West Otago, South Otago, and Eastern Districts were brought to Dunedin. Maniototo and Vincent met Tuapeka and West Otago, the match resulting in a win for ManiototoVincent by 8 points to 6 points. South Otago met Eastern Districts, the match resulting in a win for South Otago by 8 points to 5 points. A Country team selected from the combined teams met a Metropolitan team, and were defeated by 21 points to 8 points. The annual high schools’ tournament was held at Timaru last August, and was productive of some excellent football. This tournament will be held in Dunedin during the coming season, and will no doubt be looked forward to with interest by Rugby supporters. The Christchurch High School were the winners of the last tournament, the following being the result of the matches played;—Christchurch High School defeated Southland High School bv 21 to 6, Otago High School defeated Timaru High School by 8 to 6, Christchurch High School defeated Otago High School by 7 to 5. and South and High School defeated Timaru High School by sto 3. .. . 01 ~, The match for the Amga Charity Shield between Kaikorai and University A resulted in a win for Kaikorai by 13 to 3. The proceeds of this match were devoted to assisting local charities, and the sura of £320 10s 4d was distributed amongst the various beneficiaries. On June 3 a successful seven-a-side tournament and athletic events were held at Carisbrook, the proceeds from the tournament being divided amongst the various clubs to assist their finances. The Pirates Club won the senior seven-a-side, Dunedin B the B Grade, and Southern A the C Grade. The annual match for the Payne Trophy was played at Christchurch between the University A and the Merivale Clubs, an I an interesting game resulted in a win for Merivale by 9 to 3. To assist the distress in the city during last winter the committee decided to give the proceeds of the final flag match betiveen Kaikorai and University to this object, and the sum of £.430 3s 3d was handed to the fund. To jceep players in form during the absence of the Otago team on the northern tour a knock-out competition was arranged, and good entries were received, the competition being won by the Kaikorai Club.

On September 12 a visit was received from North Otago, and a match w as played against an Otago team, resulting in a win for North Otago by 19 to 5. The Pirates teqm visited South Otago and played South Otago, the match resulting in a win for South Otago, To encourage the game in the Brighton district the Dunedin Third Grade team visited Brighton and met the local team, the match resulting in a win for Dunedin. The committee congratulates R. G. Bush on being selected to represent New Zealand against the Australian team; R. G. Bush, W. Allan, and J. Hore on being selected to represent the South Island against the North Island; and also Mr A. M'Donald On- being appointed one of the New Zealand selectors during the past season.

During the year the committee placed a contract for renewing the old portion of the fence enclosing the Carisbrook Ground. The erection of the fence has greatly improved the appearance of tha ground. The additional Logan Park have helped considerably to relieve the shortage of grounds. These grounds still, however, require further drainage, as in wet weather they are not in a fit state for play. The use of the grounds at Hancock Park also proved oi great help. During the past season the committee made a donation of £SO to the St, Clair School Committee for a ground bn the sandhills for the school, the union having the use of the ground on Saturday afternoons for competition matches. The deaths occurred during the year ox Mr G. W. C. Macdonald (a past-presi-dent of the union) and Messrs George Scott, A. Eckhold, A. B. Drabble, and J. R. Murray, who were all prominent representative players in their day. » The committee decided this year to present representative players who have represented the province on three occasions with a blazer in- place of a cap. Last year advice was received from the New Zealand Rugby Union that m future the game had to be played under the rules of the Rugby Union, and the committee feels that delegates will agree that this is a step in the right direction. SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

The report of the Rugby Sub-commit-tee of the Otago State Primary Schools' Sports Association for the 1931 season states that at the commencement of the season the committee anticipated a most successful year. The number of teams entered had increased from 52 11 teams being entered in the A Grade, 15 in the B Grade, and 29 in the Bantam competition. Teachers and pupils were very enthusiastic, and after the first matches were finished it seemed as if the play would be of a high standard and the competition in all grades keen. Unfortunately, after the resumption of school in the second term the weather broke, and match after match had to be postponed, while the condition of the grounds put an end to practice for many school's for weeks on end. As a natural result the standard of play was affected and the competitions somewhat disorganised. This season some alteration was made in the weight limits. The limit of Bst was allowed to stand for the A Grade, but it was felt that an increased range of weight in the B Grade would encourage weaker schools to make an entry in that grade rather than in the A Grade. Accordingly, the weight limit for the B Grade was raised from 6st 71b to 6st 10lb. The Bantam limit remained unaltered at sst 71b.

The A Grade competition of 11 teams was played without division into sections, and as the entries in this grade were from town schools only, this was tho com-

petition least affected by the weather. No team was undefeated, but in the playoff between St. Clair and Forbury Schools (each of which .had suffered one loss) St. Clair was victorious, and was declared winners of the competition, with Forbury runners-up) Entries in the B Grade competition were received from six country and nine town teams, so that some games in each weekly draw had to be played on Wednesdays and some on Saturdays. The result of the wet weathqp on this competition was that some teams had more play than others, as it was impossible to hold up the whole competition to complete all unplayed matches in- each draw. The competition was divided into two sections —an A and a B section. As postponements caused such a loss of time the committee was unable to play a second round, and so the only undefeated team, Green Island, was declared winners,. with Ravensbourne as runners-up. Tainui School was unbeaten in the B section, but was defeated by Green Island, winners of the competition. In the Bantam competition 29 teams were entered. From these, 12 teams were selected to play as an A section, the .remaining teams playing as a B section. The A section of the Bantam competition again provided the closest and most interesting games of all the competitions, because the players were so evenly matched in height and weight. Again in this competition, because of postponements, it was impossible to complete. the whole of the first round, and the eight strong teams were played off. Although Musselburgh I was an unbeaten team over the season, and defeated Kaikorai I in the play off, it had lost more points than Kaikorai through drawn games. A continuance of the competition would have meant the playing of a new round with four teams competing, for which there was no time available. For this reason the committee decided to dose the competition. declaring Kaikorai I winners and Musselburgh- I runners-up.. This is the fourth year in succession in which Kaikorai has been successful in this grade. In the B section Musselburgh. II team was the only side to lose no points. Two representative teams were sent by the S.R.F.U. to Dunedin to play matches against Otago primary, schools’ representative teams. The weight limit of the senior team was fixed at Bst 41b and the junior at 7st. Both matches were played on Saturday morning at Tahuna Park, and both resulted in wins for the Otago teams —the sanior game by 9 to 3 apd the junior by 6 to nil. SECONDARY SCHOOLS’ RUGBY.

The report of the Secondary Schools’ Rugby Association that the very successful season experienced by the secondary schools’ grades in 1931 was very gratifying. It is now some years since the association was formed to provide competitions for boys in secondary schools in Dunedin and surrounding districts wdio are too young or too light to play in the grade competitions organised by the 0.R.F.U., ana the numbers of boys playing last season were larger than ever. In 1931 there were no fewer than 31 teams playing regularly every Saturday morning. The keenness shown by both boys and masters led to quite a high standard of Rugby football being attained. In 1931 there were five grade competitions, A, B, C, D, and E Grade, > the weight limits of which were respectively 9st 31b, Bst 71b, 7st 71b. 6st 71b, and 6st. The teams entered from the various schools were:—A Grade: Otago Boys’ High School, two teams; Technical College, one team; M’Glashan College, one team; Mosgiel District High School, one team. B Grade; . Otago Boys’ High School, four teams; Technical College, one team; M'Glashan College, one team. C Grade: Otago Boys’ High School, four teams; Technical College, two teams; M'Glashan College, one team; Christian Brothers’ High School, two teams; Mosgiel, one team. D Grade: Otago Boys’ High School, two teams; Technical College, two teams; Christian Brothers’ High School, two teams., E Grade: Christian Brothers’ High School, four teams.