FOOTBALL

Southland Times, Issue 19290, 8 July 1924, Page 7

FOOTBALL

SOUTHLAND RUGBY UNIONWEEKLY MEETING. The weekly meeting of the Management Committee of the Southland Rugby Union was held last night, there being present:— Messrs T. Meredith (Chairman), T. McCarroll, W. Carswell, T. Baird, D. K. Torrance, J. T. Lilburne, J. Stobo, A. J. Geddes, A. H. Courtis, A. H. Stott, W. Robison and J. A. Doig. The notice of motion by the Chairman to have the previous, resolution dealing with the two players who were ordered off in a recent match rescinded, with a view to having Agnew’s name expunged from the caution list, was speedily dealt with. When the matter came up, Mr Geddes said he would like to . ask two questions. The first was, what evidence were they going on? The Chairman: Only that of the referee. Mr Geddes: Is there any fresh evidence? The Chairman: No. Mr Geddes: Then the case can’t be gone on with. Continuing, he said it would be an unconstitutional procedure to reopen the case if there was no fresh evidence. Mr Meredith said he still held the opinion he expressed at the last meeting, that Agnew had received a punishment not in accordance with the evidence. He would formally move the motion, and would like to make it clear that they were not reopening an inquiry. It was simply a question of the punishment, and those who disagreed could vote against it. Mr Carswell seconded the motion. The Chairman: I think I gauge the position correctly when I say I don’t think you want any discussion on the subject. The motion, on being put to the meeting, was lost by five votes to six. The position therefore is that the previous resolution of the Union placing both players on the caution list stands. The secretary of the Invercargill Club wrote, stating that with reference to the suspension of a number of their junior players who were alleged to be seniors, he had been instructed by his Committee to protest strongly against the Union’s attitude in unjustly punishing- his Club in particular, when (as he would endeavour to prove) other clubs had been offending in this same direction. His Committee took exception to the comments of one or two of the Union, who characterised their action as unsportsmanlike and suggested penalising the Club as a whole. The facts were that last season when the half-holiday was split, the Invercargill Club was asked to help the Union out by putting a team in the Wednesday senior competition. At no time during the season did the team consist of more than four bona fide senior players. It was players from this team who were seniors in the eyes of the Rugby Union only that were causing some trouble at the present time. With regard to these men failing to comply with the Union’s request to come before the Union, he advised the men concerned of the position, but they seemed to think that they were quite within their rights to play second grade, which they did, and he hardty thought they could be blamed a great deal for that. Although not condoning their offence, it must be admitted that they were only playing in the grade for which they were fitted. Not one oj these men could obtain a place in their senior fifteen at the present time, nor could they at any time this season before that date. The whole trouble to their way of thinking had been caused by the Union’s resolution to cancel the Wednesday senior competition. His Club looked upon it as a grave mistake and in this he must say they were backed up by a section Of the general public who last year paid to see the senior games on Wednesdays and who were prepared to do the‘same this year. While on the subject, he had to inform them that their Club was not the only club infringing in this direction, as the Marist Club had been doing so all the season. This was brought to his notice some time ago, but he decided to take no action in the matter. The Winton Club, who had beaten their juniors, employed the services of a senior player, and although this was done with their knowledge, they did not protest. They had no wish to appear in the light of talebearers, and while not actually entering a protest, had no desire to mention names, but if the clubs concerned did not supply the names of the players referred to, at the Union’s request, his Club could give them the names themselves.

The Chairman said that he thought the letter from the Invercargill Club had missed the point, in addition to which there were one or two statements not in accordance with fact. The reason for the suspension was because the players had had definite instructions to appear at a meeting of the Management Committee. It was not so much a question of their playing, but of playing in defiance of the Union’s instructions. The players had openly defied the Union and it was admitted that the instructions had been received. He thought the Regrading Committee would, without hesitation, have granted the regrades if the applicants had acted in a proper manner. It had also been pointed out at last meeting that if the players appeared before the Committee and asked for the removal of the suspension the Union would, no doubt, grant it. Mr McCarroll said that he had personally seen the two players concerned and asked them to come along to that night’s meeting. Mr Geddes said the Blues had missed the point. The Blues knew perfectly well that the players concerned must have played before being regraded. He thought they had got off lightly. He also thought that the Club was more responsible than the players. The letter had gone to the Club and the Club should have seen to it that the men concerned were not played. The Club was to blame for playing men who had not been regraded. The Chairman said he doubted if they could take action against the Club. Mr Geddes said he thought they should write to the Blues drawing attention to the misunderstanding of the Union’s action. A motion on these lines was carried without dissent. It was decided to point out that the onus was on a club to see that its players were regraded before playing, after receiving notice from the Union. The secretary reported that in his letter to the players concerned notifying them of their suspension, he had also added a note to the effect that if the players concerned attended a meeting of the Committee and expressed regret for their action, they would, no doubt, receive favourable consideration. This, he thought, was the feeling of the meeting. The secretary’s action was approved. A Waikiwi Club player, who had been suspended under similar circumstances to the Invercargill players, appeared before the Union, and, after hearing his explanation, the suspension was removed, player concerned to play for Waikiwi. Mr Geddes, in reporting on behalf of the selectors, said that the selectors recommended a trial match next Wednesday week, July 16, between a Town XV. and a combined Western and Central Districts’ team. One of the difficulties facing the selectors in connection with club football was that men were being played out of position, and the selectors wanted to try men in positions they thought they might fill in representative matches. They would have to do a bit of experimenting, and they realised the recommendation he had just outlined was the only way to meet the position. The Chairman said he thought it was a very good idea. The Wednesday people were looking for a game on the Park. Mr Geddes also suggested a junior game on the Park on the date in question. The recommendations were approved. THE WEEK’S FIXTURES. The following fixtures were approved:— SATURDAY, JULY 12. SENIOR A GRADE. Pirate® v. Marist. Rugby Park, No. 1 first spell, No. 2 second spell, 2,30 p-m.

Star v, Invercargill, Rugby Park, No. 2 first spell, No. 1 second spell, 2.30 pjn. SENIOR B GRADE. Bluff v. Winton, Biggar street No. 1, 3 p.m. Pirates a bye. SECOND GRADE. Invercargill v. Makarewa, Queen’s Park No. 11, 3 p.m. Star v. Waikiwi, Queen’s Park No. 1, 3 p.m. Marist v. High School, High School No. 1, 2.30 p.m. Southern a bye. THIRD GRADE. Star v. Pirates, Eastern Reserve, 3 p.m. High School v. Invercargill, High School No. 2, 2.15 p.m. Southern v. Technical, Eastern Reserve, 1.45 p.m. FOURTH GRADE. Star v. High School, Biggar street No. 1, 1.30 p.m. Bluff v. Makarewa, Biggar street No. 2, 3 p.m. Invercargill v. Marist, Biggar street No. 2, 1.30 p.m. Technical a bye. WEDNESDAY, JULY 9. Marist v. Invercargill, Biggar street. WEDNESDAY, July 16. Trial Match, Town v. Combined Western. Central. Winton B v. Invercargill, Town ground to be arranged. Pirates v. Southern, Town ground to be arranged. Marist a bye. NEW ZEALAND’S DELEGATE. SHOULD HE ACT AS COACH? (Special to the Times.) CHRISTCHURCH, July 7. Mr S. F. Wilson, New Zealand delegate to the Imperial Rugby Conference, leaves for Wellington to-morrow night in order to receive his instructions in regard to the conference, whether he is to travel with the All Black team, and in what capacity. The opinion is expressed very’- generally in football circles in Canterbury that it would be a happy idea to combine his duty as New Zealand’s delegate with that of coach of the All Black team. WANTED: A COACH. WELL-KNOWN RUGBYITE’S OPINION. (Special to the Times.) CHRISTCHURCH, July 7. The defeat of the All Blacks at Sydney has brought the question of the need of a coach for the team before the football public very prominently. Mr F. T. (“Dutchy”) Evans, whose name is a household word in Rugby circles throughout New Zealand, has for weeks agitated that a coach should go with the team. Speaking to a reporter to-night, he said: “The result of Saturday bears out just what I have advocated. The backs are so young. What they require is an old head to point out their weaknesses.” As far as Mr Evans was concerned, he thought that if the present team was to succeed in England it would need an experienced coach. The members of the 1905 team as a whole were more seasoned players than the present combination, especially amongst the backs, and there were quite a number of very suitable men available who would make admirable coaches. THE ALL BLACKS. COMMENT ON THE DEFEAT. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) SYDNEY, July 7. Mr Little, manager of the All Blacks, stated: “We were beaten on our merits, but we hope to make good later. w Commenting on the All Blacks’ match, the Herald says: “The New Zealand fight backs appear to be out of proportion relatively to their strong heavy forwards, but there can be no question regarding the quality of the backs in attack. They are fast and nippy. The forwards have great pace. The heaviest men seem fastest. As a whole the All Blacks made many slips endeavouring to take the ball from a pass probably through over-eagerness. Improvment in this respect will render their displays more finished.” The Telegraph says it was a contest between youth and dash on the one hand and hard-headed experience on the other. SOCCER. THE CHINESE TEAM. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) BRISBANE, July 7. The Chinese soccer team has arrived eu route to Nev/ Zealand. 'The manager hopes to arrange matches in Australia on return from the Dominion tour.