RUGBY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17153, 1 October 1926, Page 9

RUGBY.

HAWKE’S BAY ON TOUR. RESERVES NOT STRONG. (Notes by "Onlooker.”! I In. beating which have been handed out to the two teams from Hawke’s Bay now on (our in different- parts of the country have emphasised the fact- that the Ranfurlv Shield team is mainly successful because of ib perfect combination. The side which continued the tour in tho -South Island, after the strenuous shield match with Canterbury, has been beaten soundly by both Otago and Southland, since it lost the stars of tlie Hawke's Bay Rugb t v firmament, and the other side, in the North Island, which never had any of the stars, has had a hard time from the start of its tour. Enthusiasts in this district, who had been led to hope that the Shield team would visit Gisborne before the close of the season, will feel little sympathy for the Hawke’s Bay men touring in other directions, but that is by the way What is more to the point is the strong inference that- apart from the magnificent players who have upheld the premiership for the past three years, the Hawke’s Bay Union lias not a wide range of really good men. The (Shield team already shows signs of disintegrating, as all associations must with the effluxion of time, and within a couple of years, the present holders of the ex- ; Governor’s trophy may have suffered a considerable change of fortune. This probability makes it all tho more desirable, that i’overty Bay should put in a challenge for the Ranfurlv (Shield next year, if the Shield ever comes to Gisborne, it would detract from the merit of the win if it were taken from anything but. a first-class side. “ONE-SIDED.” FOOTBALL PROFITS. POSITION OF DOMINION'S. LONDON, September 22 The Evening News says that the International Rugby Union Board’s committee in arranging for the New South Wales tour of Great Britain, next year is providing for £16.000 to cover expenses, which must be realised hr fore anything is taken for the home clubs or unions. A large surplus, however, is anticipated. The newspaper points out. that in view of tho travelling expenses it is i.'-likely that British clubs and unions will divide such a. large profit as in the New Zealand 1924-25 tour, which realised £2l - 000. “There is certain to he Australian and New Zealand criticism over the home j dubs and unions taking the whole of the profits,” says the Evening News, and continues: “If is true that the overseas unions agreed that visitors should not- participate' in the profits, but when they agreed to that neither Australia nor New Zealand contemplated that Great Britain would not reciprocate in sending a team overseas.” « “It- is estimated that as a result of the arrangement the Anglo-Irish clubs will benefit to the extent of £30,000 by two tours, whereas New South Wales and New Zealand, whose teams brought this money', will not benefit one penny. It- is fair Criticism to say that this is altogether onesided.”