RUGBY FOOTBALL

Southland Times, Issue 23772, 21 March 1939, Page 11

RUGBY FOOTBALL

ANNUAL REPORTS OF COUNTRY CLUBS SUCCESS OF BALFOUR PLAYERS The annual report of the Balfour Football Club stated that because only three team% were entered in the senior competition an amalgamation was effected with the Eastern District subunion. The premiership in Eastern was won by Mataura, and the Country Pirates team was again successful in winning the Bedford-Compton Shield. A senior seven-a-side team from the Balfour club was successful in winning three tournaments— Nightcaps, Waikaka and Lumsden. A team was entered in the junior competition and was successful in again annexing the Gee-Chapman shield against competition from five other clubs. Much of the success of the junior team was due to the interest taken in the players by Messrs L. Sparks and A. Liddell. The committee recommended to the subunion that at least two rounds be played in the junior competition before any representative games were arranged. During the season a basketball team, representative of junior players, was successful at several tournaments. Basketball provided excellent facilities for keeping players fit and keen. The balance-sheet showed a credit of £1 10/-. WYNDHAM CLUB NO SENIOR TEAM FIELDED The annual report of the Wyndham Football Club stated that the club fielded a junior and third grade team in the Eastern Southland competitions, and both teams put up creditable performances. The junior team at the end of the first round was leading in shield points but in the latter part of the season experienced difficulty in fielding a full team and was unable to maintain its position. The third grade team lost only one game, being defeated by Mataura in the second round. At the end of the second round Mataura and Wyndham were level in championship points and in the final game at Mataura the teams played a drawn game but the Mataura club lodged a protest which was upheld. This was a great disappointment to the local team as the breach of the rules was quite unintentional. The team was prevented from entering the second competition because of a belated protest by the Menzies Ferry Club which caused five of the players to be stood down. For the first time in a number of years the club was not able to field a senior team. There was a lack of interest on the part of senior players at the beginning of the season and the entry was withdrawn. The committee hopes that a strong effort will be made to field a senior team this season or a number of senior players will again have to join other clubs or stand on the bank.

Two local senior players, Messrs R. McKay and J. Pow, who joined the Mataura Club last season, were included in the Eastern representative team. Messrs A. Cooper, A. Morris, D. Eggleton, S. McKay and M. Weir gained junior representative honours. The third grade players were coached by Mr D. McCaughan, but the junior team was without the services of ’a coach. K The two cups awarded last year for the most improved player in the junior and third grade teams respectively were won by Messrs A. Morris and L. Milne. The financial position of the club is very sound, a credit balance of more than £26 being carried forward. The death occurred during the year of Mr W. O. C. McKay, a very keen supporter of the club and a vice-presi-dent for many years.