AFTER THE MATCH.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 170572, 4 August 1921, Page 8

AFTER THE MATCH.

THE VISITORS ENTERTAINED

AT THE GROSVENOR.

In most hospitable style the South ; African players were entertained in the Grosvenor Hotel by the South Canterbury Rugby Union, There was a large attendance, and the president of ( the Union (Mi - H. H. Fraser) presided, the Mayor of Timaru (Mr F. J. Rolieston) also occupying a seat at the head of the table. An excellent dinner was served —one ‘of the class ' for which the Grosvenor is.noted, —and it met with a full measure of appreciation. Mr H. H. Fraser, as president of the South Canterbury Rugby Union, proposed the first toast foliowing-the loyal one. He said they were ah pi-oud of the great game that had been played that day, and they had only admiration for the way that the South Canterbury boys stood up against the great combination . (Heal", hear.) He had never been present at a cleaner contest, or one .whioli aroused greater enthusiasm. Ho had been associated with the game for more than twenty yeps, and he had never seen a finei" exhibition of it than the brilliant display of that day. He regretted that the stay of the Springs boks was so short in South Canterbury. Possibly they had met larger crowds and seen finer cities elsewhere, but South Canterbury would yield to none in the warmth of its reception to the visitors and its determination to see that Timaru w'as not behind with the entertainment part in the _ brilliantly succesuful tour of the visitors. (Ap-

plause.) Mr T. P. Pienaar, captain of the Springboks, in replying, thanked the compauv for the iway they had drunk the health of the team, and said that the game that day had been played under the best possible .conditions for the victors. They were out to do their best to rehabilitate themselves after their defeat of Saturday last. And everything was in their favour to enable them to do this. They had tried to make the game as open and as interesting as possible, and he hoped they had succeeded. If during their visit to New Zealand they were aide to help football in anv wav they would he glad, because they "felt "indebted to New Zealand on account of the team they ha d. sent to .South Africa two years ago. They had been verv heartily welcomed and hospitably treated here", end they appreciated it thoroughly. He hoped that it would be their pleasure and privilege to entertain another New Zealand team in South Africa at an early date. ( Ap-

plause.) Mr~C. H. Bennett (manager of the Springboks) asked the company to drink the health of the South Canterbury team. At the outset he paid a warm compliment to Percy Storey,, of whom ho said tlicv had been told beloro they left home.' (Applause.) South Africa had been described as a land of songless birds and scentless flowers, arid a land peculiar in many respects. Lp till a few months ago they bad supposed it to be a land where loot!.all was played at its best, but. they were nor so sure of this now. (Laughter.) He

was satisfied that the only way to satisfy New Zealanders that the South Africans could play football was to beat them in the three test matches. Two would not do, for New Zealanders were nearly as stubborn as South Africans. (Daughter.) For the game that day everything had been in their favour, and the team that iwas up against them was a really good one. It would be the Springboks' aim not to let any other team do any better against them, as if they did this they would be doing South’Canterbury a good turn, and they would like to do that. (Daughter.) That day’s victory was the biggest they had laid in New Zealand, and lie congratulated the South Canterbury team on the sporting spirit in which the game had been played. It was the “sportiest” game they had played in New Zealand, and everyone seemed to.be tliore from .sheer love of the game. These interchanges of visits by footballers did a tremendous amount of good. New Zealand and South Africa were both young nations, and the more they saw of each other the better it would bo for both. (Heal - , hear.) He hoped that New Zealand would take an early opportunity of sending a team to South Africa, if they did they could be sure of a hearty welcome there, though he was afraid it would be impossible to equal New Zealand in the matter of hospitality. Still, South Africa would do its best. (Applause.) Mr Bennett went on to say there should be ono code of Rugby and one set of rules, and different countries should assimilate each other’s ideas with a view to adopting one uniform standard of play. In conclusion, Mr Bennett said they had had a splendid time in Timaru, and would carry away only pleasant recollections of the town {mil <1 intrinh. (A nrvla/nsA.’i

| Air P. Storey (captain of the South ! Canterbury team) made appropriate acknowledgment of the toast, mentioning that it had been a hard, chan i game, .aid the best team iiai won on : its merits. (Applause.) . i i Mr C. ill. tiassall proposed the health ' of the referee in complimentary terms, and the referee (Mr J. Jl. Graver) made a suitable reply. | The Mayor (Mr J Rulleston) ! gave the toast “The Net Zealand ! rootball Union,'’ and in so doing said that when they saw a game like ti e one they had witnessed that day, and j a' team like the South African team, | they realised how mueli they owed to j the' New Zealand liugb.- Union. .iris i Worship took his hearers back to the 1 days when the Union was formed and made some interesting references to its work and its influence for good on the flue old game of Rugby. The 1. i.ion , was comprised of a body of men who | did their very heat for the game and

1 they had done an enormous amount of : good. Hug by was the liuesc game they ’ had, and so long as it rein lined under : the control of men like those who at [i present were at the a end of affairs, ; it would be very safe. It v. as a genuine * ! treat to see the fine exposition of the c ’ game that day, and the line men, on j both sides, who were responsible lit , ; it. (Applause.) j j The toast was acknowledged by Mr s ’ Edgar Wylie, representative of the i New Zealand Rugby Union with the o j Springboks. In so "doing he > aid they

owed a debt of gratitude to the Gover-nor-General for having travelled up from Oamaru to see the match. 'lhey . appreciated too, the patronage of Ins j Yvorslhp the Mayor, and tlie presence of so many thousands of Souui Canterbury people. Mr Wylie said they ' were also indebted to the Press or Ti- ; maru for the generous help it bad . given and for iiaving gone out of its > way to make the day a memorable cue ; iu the history of Timaru and South : Canterbury. Referring to too piajc-is J Mr Wylio characterised Storey as per- ! haps the best footballer in New Zea- j land—(applause)—and said that if ho < left. this district lie would probably be j more appreciated. Of the entertainment given the Springboks the pre\ i- j ous evening, and of the dinner given them that night he coxild o.iy refer! in terms of the highest praise. (Hear, j hear.) All would agree with him when j he said that the Springboks were for- ; tunate in stopping at the Qro'-.vei or j Hotel and in having the hospitality of j Mr and Mrs J. P. Murphy and the ; Misses ATurphy. (Applause.) ‘This was . a national occasion, Air Wylio said, j The South African race was the youngest- member of the Empire’s family, and great things were expected ox tiiem. i Moreover tliey were confident that they would get them. (.Hear, hear.) Referring to the All Blacks, Mr Wylie said their record was still unbeaten, and the Springboks could not now beat it, on account of their defeat in Christchurch. He mentioned too that the financial success of the Springboks' , tour through Neiv Zealand was assured, and said that all I toped it would bo a great success in every, way. If they l all worked for a steady advance they ■would in time get conservative old England to move so that they would be able to have the game uniform throughout the world with good old ■ John Bull at the head of it‘. (Ap- . plause.) t The pleasant little function closed with “Auld Dang Syne” and a verse of the “National Anthem.” During the evening songs were very acceptably sung l>y Messrs S. Anderson, A. T'nn 11 «\ »•» M Ti l J.