RUGBY UNION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 15800, 15 April 1922, Page 9

RUGBY UNION.

REVIEW OF 1921 SEASON. ANNUAL MEETING ADJOURNED. The nnrm;il meeting of the Poverty Ray Rugby Union was to have been, held on Thursday evening, but as there was not a quorum present, it was adjourned until April 24, at 8 p.m. in the Soldiers’ Club room. Even had a quorum been present, however, the main business of the meeting, the election of officers could not have been proceeded with, as the various clubs had not held their annual meetings, and had not, therefore, appointed their delegates to the Union. In adjourning the meeting on Thursday evening, the president of the Union (Mr. 11. E. .Maude) asked that all clubs should hold their annual meetings as soon as possible, and notify the secretary of the Union in wiiting as to their appointments of delegates and vicepresidents. each senior club being entitled to appoint two delegates and one vice-president to the Union, and junior clubs one delegate and one vice president .

The annual report was ns follows:

Rugby football last year was fairly successful, but- your committee, is of opinion that there is a lot of room for improvement in all its branches. Twentylive years ago there were live senior teams competing as against four senior teams in 1921. when, the population of the district had practically doubled. Your commit.tec. trusts that the ensuing season will revive the interest and support of all, and that six senior teams will eventuate to take part in the competition for the premiership of 1922. It behoves all players and supporters of the game of Rugby to assist itt every way.

District scheme: A suggestion was brought forward that the district scheme should be reintroduced, but the special committee appointed to go into the matter reports that the time, for so doing is inopportune. Playing areas: Playing grounds gave your committee some concern, hut, thanks to. the High School authorities in loaning their ground, the Union were able to arrange for all matches. Competitions: Three grades, senior, junior, and third, were played during the season, there being .four senior teams, viz., Y.M.P., Kaiti-City, Old Boys, and Union, four junior teams, Y.M.P., Kaiti-Citv, High School, and Civil Service, and four third grade teams, Y..M.P-, Kaiti-City, High School, and Union. The competitions resulted in wins for the following: Y.M.P. in the senior and junior, and Old Boys in the third grade. The committee takes this opportunity of congratulating the winners of the various grades, the victories no doubt being in a great measure due to the earnestness and bard training of the players, an example which should be followed out bv all.

Public schools’ competition : This big task is undertaken and administered by the teachers and a special sports committee, and the thanks of the Union ami all lovers of the game tire due to that body for the able manner in which the competition was managed, and in teaching the younger generation the noble game of Rugby. It is from their ranks that wo have to depend for our footballers in the future, and your committee regrets that the financial assistance granted by the N.Z. Rugby Union is not more than it is. However, when the public takes a keener interest in local football means mav be found of so do-

Reprcsentative matches: Two senior representative matches were, played in Gisborne and one at- Napier. The first match, Gisborne vertisus the East Coast, resulted in a meritorious win for the Coast boys. The next match was under the auspices of the New Zealand Rugby Union, and the whole of the net gate takings went to that body. It is necessary to mention tin's, as a number of the public have an idea that- the money went into the coffers of the local Union, when such is not the case. The match was Poverty Bay versus New South Wales, which resulted in a win for the visitors. The match was an excellent one from all points of view, and excitement was intense throughout the game. Our representatives played excellently until within a quarter of the whistle, when they seemed to tiro, and it was only then that New South Wales won the match, as up to that time ourchampions held their own and were leading by a few points. The match Hawke’s Bay versus Poverty Bay was played at Napier, when our boys suffered defeat by a small margin. Junior representatives: A junior representative team visited To Kara kit. and played Waikohu, resulting in favour of ■ the latter. As a curtain-raiser to the New South Wales match the Waikohu representatives played the return match, when they again proved victorious. The Waikohu Sub-Union have sorno very likely men, and should he encouraged. The junior representatives also journeyed to Napier to try conclusions with the Hawke’s Bay junior, representatives. This match was played as a curtainraiser to the. Springbok match, and reside,d. in a win for Hawke’s Bay by a narrow margain. It is only fair to sav that our juniors were, not properly .represented, as several of those selected without any intimation did not go, and the manager was hard put to it to scrape up a.full team. Springboks’ tour: Your committee used every endeavor and means to secure a visit of this team to Gisborne, but the hesi was that Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay should be combined for the purpose of selecting a team to play the Springboks at Napier. The task of selecting this team was in the hands of Mr. Mackenzie, of Napier,, and Mr. J. O’Neill, of Gisborne. Our representa-tives-in that team were: W. Lnnglands, full back; I*. Tureia, five-eighth; J. AJill, half (Const); Tome, T. Heenoy, and .W. Te Whala (C&ast). forwards; emergency, B. Hundleby. The Springboks won after a really good game, and our representatives in the team acquitted Themselves well.