RANFURLY SHIELD GAME

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27096, 2 June 1949, Page 8

RANFURLY SHIELD GAME

TARANAKI ACCEPTS CHANGED ITINERARY Special to the Daily Times NEW PLYMOUTH. June 1. At the request of the Otago Rugby Union, the Management Committee of the Taranaki Rugby Union has agreed to alter the itinerary of the Taranaki representative team’s South Island tour so that the team will play Southland on September 14 ana Otago on September 17, reversing the original dates. To assist the Southland Rugby Union with its representative fixture programme, stated a letter received from the Otago Union, the Otago Union was willing to forgo its match with the Australian team on September 17 proi vided Taranaki would agree to play Southland on September 14 and Otago on September 17. This would enable the Australian team to play Southland instead of Otago on September 17 “There is a definite feeling in th* South Island that they do not want the Ranfurly Shield to come north,” said ! Mr C. Brown when the Taranaki Union I discussed the letter. “It is no use saying one thing and meaning another. The feeling is there. If we meet Southland first we will have a tough proposition, and may have casualties that would put us at a disadvantage against Otago.” “There is a difficulty,” said Mr U. Walker. “Southland has no home match at the time. We will have a lot of games before we meet Otago, and if casualties are to be considered they could just as easily happen before we meet Southland. I do not think one more game will make much difference.”