RUGBY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16373, 22 June 1927, Page 8

RUGBY

THE MAORI MATCH N.Z. UNION'S PROPOSAL: POVERTY BAY ACCEPTS. Advice received this morning from the New Zealand Rugby Union occasioned an emergency meeting of the Poverty Bay Rugby Union management committee this afternoon to consider what course of action should be adopted .with regard to the clashing of dates for the visit of the Canadian soccer team and the Maori Rugby team's visit to Gisborne. i

Tlie local authorities had pointed out to tho New Zealand Union that it had already committed itself to stage no big Rugby attraction on the day of the Canadian visit, and had suggested a variation of the Maoris' itinerary to obviate (he clashing. The. N.Z. Union's reply set out that it had agreed with the New Zealand Football Association that the Maori match and the Canadian game should be staged at Gisborne on the same day, the Maori match to be treated as a curtain-raiser to the Appearance of the overseas soccer eleven. Financial arrangements entered into by the national controlling bodies would permit, this programme, on.a fifty-fifty division of the gate proceeds between the two codes.

The meeting of the Poverty Bay Union held to-day decided to accept the New Zealand Union's proposal and to stage thei Maori match as a curtain raiser to the soccer game, 'both to be played on the Oval. It was considered this would not be breaking faith with the local soccer authorities as the controlling body had approved of the course outlined.

The arrangements of course, would b« subject to the East Const Union being agreeable- to alter the date of the Coronation cup match, which had been fixed for the same day as the Maori and Canadian fixtures. In order to make arrangements with the local soccer authorities, Messrs. Parker, Jeune, and McKee were deputed to wait upon the association this evening. RANFURLY SHIELD POVERTY BAY'S CHALLENGE. The Wauarapa Rugby Union at its last meeting decided to suggest August 17 as the date for a Ranfurty Shield match with Poverty Bay in Wairarapa, and July 20 for a match with Manawhenua at Palmerston North.