OTAGO RUGBY UNION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22866, 28 April 1936, Page 7

OTAGO RUGBY UNION

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE The weekly meeting of the Management Committee of the Otago Rugby Union was held last evening. The president (Dr Perry) occupied the chair. Several junior clubs wrote stating that they were prepared to play in eariy matches at Carisbrook. It was decided to write to the South Otago Sub-union and ascertain if its team was prepared to play South Tuapeka on July 4 instead of JHily 11, as previously arranged, and thus prevent clashing, Permission was granted the University Club to travel to Christchiirch to play (he annual match against Canterbury University College on Wednesday, May 13, It was stated that the match was being played earlier than usual consequent on the fact that the Canterbury College football team was holding its jubilee this year and that the match would open the celebrations. LATEST RULINGS. Mr A. E. Neilson, secretary of the New Zealand Union, wrote stating that at the annual meeting of delegates it bad been decided to play three men in the front row of the scrums and to revert to the non-k'ck into touch rule. The chairman said that the Otago delegates had unfortunately been in a minority as regarded opposition to reverting to the non-kick into touch rule. It was decided that the communication be referred to the Itcferees' Association and the various clubs. Mr V. G. Cavanagh: Will the amended rule be played next Saturday? The chairman: Yes. TRANSFERS. C. A. Clyma was granted a transfer from the Brighton Club to Taieri; C. Brook, from Crescent (Kaitangata) to the Training College; G. J. Mee. from Becks to Zingari-Uichmond: R. A. Berkahn, from Old Boys' (PalmerstOn North) to Dunedin; J. A. Veale, from Old Boys' (Christchiirch) to Pirates; and E. Townsend, from Eltham to University. ANNUAL MEETING OF DELEGATES. Mr Harris said that he and Mr Douglab Spedciing had represented the Otago Union at the annual meeting of delegates to the New Zealand Union, held in Wellington last week. There had been a very large gathering of delegates, every union being represented, either directly or by a resident in Wellington. The meeting had lasted all day, and had finished at halfpast 10 at night. There had been an election this year for president of the union—r. rather unusual occurrence, and Mr R. J. Smith had defeated Mr A. M. Ongley for the position. The two principal remits related to the non-kick into touch rule and the rcintroduction of the 2-S-2 scrum. As regarded the former, it had been decided to revert to the non-kick into touch rule for this season, principally, said Mr Harris, because the North Island had considered that it was going to improve their football and make it more open. The opponents of the non-kick into touch, especially Mr Mark Nicholls, had maintained—and, he thought, with a certain amount of justification—that the rule did not tend to good forward play. As a matter of fact, there was an opinion that as a result of the previous introduction of the nonkick into touch the forward play in the Dominion had deteriorated, and he thought that this contention was borne out to some extent by the play of the forwards in the last All Black team which had gone Home. However, the delegates had decided to go back to the non-kick into touch, and the English Union had given them a dispensation to pla> it if New Zealand thought fit. There was one point, said Mr Harris, about this dispensation on which he was not quite clear. It seemed to him that the English Union when granting the dispensation had considered that all the unions in New Zealand desired to play the non-kick into touch. Had the English Union known that at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Union unions not in favour of the non-kick into touch were to be forced to play it, he was doubtful if the English Union would have granted the dispensation asked for. He had spoken to Mr S. S. Dean, a delegate to the Empire Conference held in London at the end of last year, on this point, and Mr Dean had said that it would have made no difference to the English Union. Mr Prendeville. the other New Zealand delegate to the Empire Conference, had, on the other hand, stated that he was not so sure about the matter. Mr Prendeville thought that the English Union had the idea that the whole of New Zealand wanted to play the nonkick into touch. The majority of the delegates at the annual meeting had, however, as he stated, desired to play the nonkick into touch game, but there had been opposition to its introduction. Mr Harris said that if any New Zealand union insisted on playing the present system, and trouble arose.' an appeal by that union to the English Union might be favourably considered. Nevertheless, he took it that they would fall into line with the decision reached at the annual meeting and play the non-kick into touch, whether they liked it or not. Mr Harris said that the majority of the delegates had favoured a 3-front row scrum, and that teams should endeavour to play a 3-2-3 scrum in preference to a 3-4-1 scrum. The question of broadcasting matches had been referred to the incoming committee of the New Zealand Union to make the best arrangements it could with the Broadcasting Board. It was proposed to ask for a larger amount from the board than that paid last year, which was £SOO. Of the amount received from the board, one-third would go to the four major unions, which would supply the matches to be described, and this one-third would be divided as follows: 274 per cent, to the Otago Union, 25 per cent, to Auckland, 25 per cent, to Canterbury, and 22J per cent, to Wellington. The difference in the allotments had been agreed to because Otago had the greater number of subunions, and because Otago had had complaints from its sub-unions regarding the effect on the attendances at their matches a s a result of broadcasting In connection with the movement to change the constitution of the New Zealand Union a sub-committee, consisting of three delegates from the South Island and three from the North Island, had been set up. This sub-committee would consider a modification in the constitution on the lines of electing a General Committee, as at present, and then co-opting so many advisory members from the North Island and the South Island who would meet occasionally with the Committee of Management in Wellington and go into any vital matters that might crop up. The sub-committee would meet during the year and draw up a report, and the matter would come up again at the next annual meeting. Mr Douglas Spedciing referred to the fixtures with Otago which had been agreed on. He said that from August 1 to September 26 there would be representative matches in Dunedin every Saturday, with the exception of the day fixed for the North v. South Island match. Mr Harris said that according to the Ranfurly rules any union had the right to challenge after July 1 for a match, subject to confirmation by the New Zealand Union. Mr Spedding said that no date had yet been arranged for the Payne trophy match. He explained that only the games to be played against the \Vest Coast and Hawke's Bay were what was termed '• special " Ranfurly challenge matches—that is, no other matches were played on tiie tour. All the other matches were also challenge matches, but in the ordinary course of events the teams taking part were due to visit Dunedin this year. In answer to a question, Mr Spedding' said that the remaining two-thirds of the money to be received from the Broadcasting Board would be given to the smaller unions, of which there were 23. The delegates were thanked for their reports. FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY First Grade. —Kaikorai v. Taieri, Kishopscourt (Mr A. Mitchell); Zingari v. University A, Carisbrook, 1.30 p.m. (Mr A. Lungloy): Union v. Alhambra, Caledonian (Mr J. Briggs); University B v. Dunedin. University Oval No. 1 (Mr W. Blagdon); Southern v. Pirates, Carisbrook. 3 p.m. (Mr N. Reardon). Second Grade, A Section. —Universitv C v. West Taieri, Outram (Mr C. Slaughter); Pirates A v. Training College. Tonga Park (Mr L. Macassey); Southern A v. Alhambra, Bathgate Park (Mr H. Williamson); Kaikorai v. Dunedin A, Tahuna No. 2 (Mr W. Moynihan). Second Grade, B Section. —University D v. Ravensbourne. Ravensbourne No, 1 (Mr J. Fletcher); Taieri v. Zingari, Mosciel No. 1 (Mr F. Henderson); Union v. i Southern B, North Ground (Mr J. B, I

Burton); Port Chalmers v. Dunedin B, Logan Park No. 1 (Mr A. Shanks). Ihird Grade, Section 1. —Union A v. Southern, Oval No. 1,2 p.m. (Mr L. Wright); Training College v. Alhambra A, Upoho No. 1 (Mr P. Swete); University E v. Pirates A, University Oval No. 2 (Mr W. Plawn); University F v. High School. Littlebourne Park (Mr N. Tilley) ; Kaikorai v. Port Chalmers, Port Chalmers (Mr W. Baxter); Zingari A a bye. Third Grade, Section 2. —Union B v. Pirates B, Logan Park No. 2 (Mr E. Cooper); University G v. Alhambra B, Opoho No. 2 (Mr E. Heather); University H v. Zingari B, Montecillo No. 1 (Mr A. Binnie); Taicri v. Brighton, Mosgiel No. 2 (Mr W. Jones); Dunedin v. Green Island, Green Island (Mr E. Barron).

Fourth Grade.—Union v. Ravensbourne, Ravensbourne No. 2 (Mr G. Lewis); Alhambra v. Port Chalmers, Logan Park No. 3 (Mr H. Warwick); Christian Brothers v. Dunedin, University Oval No. 1, L3O p.m. (Mr S. Butler); High School v. Kaikorai, Bishopscourt, 1.30 p.m. (Mr G. Taylor); Southern v. Green Island. Oval No. 2 (Mr Mofiitt); M'Glashan v. Zingari, M'Glashan (Mr W. Harridge) ; Pirates a bye. Fifth Grade.—High School A v. Alhambra, Opoho No. 1, 1.30 p.m. (Mr J. Cornford); High School B v. Kaikorai, Littlebourne Park, 1.30 p.m. (Mr P. Foster); Taieri v. Ravensbourne, Oval No. 3 (Mr R. Sutherland); Green Island v. Zingari, Montecillo No, 2 (Mr B. Stuart); Dunedin v. High School C, Caledonian, L3O p.m. (Mr W. Stewart); Technical H.S. v. King's H.S., Tonga Park, 1.30 p.m. (Mr E. Sheridan); Union v. Pirates, North Ground, 1.30 p.m. (Mr S. Gibson); Port Chalmers v. Southern. Hancock Park (Mr R. Calvert). If Carisbrook is unfit the curtain-raiser will be played at Tahuna No. 1, at 3 p.m. Lino umpires: Carisbrook, 1.30 p.m., Messrs F. S. Shanks and J. Bond; 3 p.m., Messrs D. Kilgour and S. Andrew. Caledonian, Messrs R. Bryant and R. Torrance.