CONTROL OF RUGBY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 399, 15 April 1932, Page 10

CONTROL OF RUGBY.

New Zealand Union Opposes Commission Plan. (Special to the “ Star.”) WELLINGTON, April 14. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union decided not to accept a seat on the proposed Rugby Football Commission, but to retain the affiliation with the English Rugby Union. This, it is thought, may result in the Australian unions also refusing to accept the commission which is offered in lieu of a seat on the International Board or the formation of an Imperial Rugby Board, though the South African Union accepted it without reservation. Discussion on the subject was keen. The Management Committee’s remit that the New Zealand Union become a member of the proposed Rugby Football Commission and adopt the laws of the game fixed by the International Board was withdrawn by Mr S. S. Dean and Mr S. F. Wilson (Cantermury) moved that New Zealand refuse to accent representation on any international body without legislative power, advocating that New Zealand should retain its affiliation with the English Rugby Union. When Mr Dean moved to alter the rules to provide for the union becoming a member of the proposed commis-

sion Mr Wilson asked if the commission was in existence. Mr Dean: No. Air Wilson: Can you tell me whether it is legal, logical or sensible to affiliate with a body that does not exist? Mr Dean replied that, if the New Zealand Union decided to become a member, the commission would come into existence at once. Mr 11. Harris (Otago) moved as an amendment that it would be a calamity to cancel the affiliation with the English Union, which had done so much for New Zealand. The amendment was seconded by Mr J. M’Leod (Taranaki). Amendment Carried. Canterbury delegates withdrew their remit and the amendment in the following terms was carried unanimously: That the New Zealand Rugby Union thanks the International Board for its offer to establish a Rugby Football Commission, but regrets that it is unable to accept the commission in the proposed form. The New Zealand Rugby Union reaffirms its willingness to conform to the rules of the game as laid down by the International Board and until such time as the overseas unions are given a seat on the supreme body of control, will continue its affiliation with the Rugby Football Union (England). Free Passes to Rugby. The Lancaster Park Board of Control met last evening; present—Messrs C. S. M'Cully (in the chair), W. H. Winsor, R. Beattie, W. Flewellyn, W. L. King and .T. O. M’Gillivray (secretary) The Canterbury Rugby Union applied for approval of its proposal to issue free passes into Lancaster Park to disabled soldiers, primary school boys, club secretaries and coaches, on the same lines as last season. Permission was also asked for the union to issue up to 500 free passes to the unemployed, as was done last season. It was decided to give permission for the passes tp be issued, under the control of the Rugby Union. The use of Lancaster Park free of charge was granted for April 2, when a sports meeting was held in aid of the Mayor s Distress Fund, and for to-mor-row. when a football match will he played, the gate to go to the same fund.

Cromb on the Links. I. B. Cromb, who is in the first flight of cricketers in this country, will also be in the first flight of golfers if he goes on as*he has started. lie joined Ilarewood this season as a complete novice, and the handicapping committee automatically put him on a handicap of 24—the limit. After his fourth game he gave so much promise that | the committee pulled him back to 22, and began to watch him closely. Last Tuesday he turned in a signed card for a gross 83, which is playing down to a handicap of 8, which only a firstclass golfer can manage. The handicapping committee promptly re- » vised Cromb’s position; and he will start off for his next game on 16. This is an exceptionally good performance for a player of only a month’s standing. Cromb is very keen on the royal and ancient game, and practises assiduously. He has been under the wing of the well-seasoned Ray Blank and gives every indication of becoming a splen-did-golfer. lie has managed to avoid the chief fault of the beginner who has played cricket, and that is the tendency to slog at the ball. He swings quietly, and his weight and height do the rest. He also has a splendid eye, one of the greatest assets to a golfer. Another fault Cromb avoids is that of taking his eye off the ball. His cricket has taught him to watch it like a hawk. All Blacks’ Itinerary. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, April 14. Criticism of the practice of arranging the itinerary of Rugby tours by New Zealand teams in Australia so as to make the match against New South Wales at Sydney the opening engagement was made by Mr N. M’Kenzie (Hawke’s Bay) at the annual meeting of the union. An easier game should be arranged for the start of the tour, he said. “The great difficulty with Australian tours in the past,” said Mr S. S. Dean, “has been the question of finance. Now that their financial position is better I think they should review the position.” It was decided to leave the question to the incoming Management Committee, which will endeavour to secure a more satisfactory arrangement. In Auckland Again. R. G. Bush, the ex-All Black, will again play for Auckland University this season, after spending som .* seasons with Otago 'Varsity. This great kick and full-back is a decided acquisition to a strong side. Three newcomers who are seeking places in the Auckland 'Varsity senior team are Smith, a winger, who was also with Otago last year, Mulverhill, a senior second five-eighth from Victoria University, and Hodge, a former Training College forward who went north with the Otago representatives last year. League Notes. Tlie senior League Rugby competition will open to-morrow, when there will be two games, with the fifth team having a bye. Hornby will meet Addington at Sydenham Park, the League’s new headquarters, and Rieearton will play Sydenham at Jerrold Street, both frame*; starting at p.m. The games should be evenly contested. Limvood have the bye this week. Sydenham have a new full-back this year in IT. Shack look, a senior Rugby player from Tvaikoura. The half-back will be Mel Smith, late of Limvood. and J. Madden is another newcomer. Though the Sydenham team will probably be the weakest, in the competition for the commencement of the season, there is plenty of promise.^ The Addington side will have a number of new players. C. M’Garry will be back in his position at full-back. On one wing will be J. Devonport. a West Coast representative, who just missed inclusion in the last South Island team. A. Higgins, formerly of the Athletic Rugby club, will be on the other wing. G. Falgar will again be at centre, with A. Peddie half. The first five-eighth will be a new man in C. Brimble. a recruit from the,Merivale Rugby Club. Jim Amos has gone from the backs into the forwards, as his bulk suggests a change, and he will play breakaway. Ward, Brownie and Flanagan will be out again, and W. Stuart will probably be seen. Rieearton should have a fairly sound side, with many of last year’s players to benefit from their experience in senior ranks. A new man in the forwards is D. Marshall, who last year played for Sydenham. Linwood. with the bye, will have a strong side from last year’s men. .T. Kelly, an ex-Wellington player, and F. Lvnskey. who played ip seniors for Waimairi two years ago. will add strength to the team. Hornby will have a number of last I year’s senior A team turning out once more, with a sprinkling of the younger men from the former senior B thirteen. |

Plays Many Games. 11. W. Brinsden, who beat Harold Lusk in the final of the Rotorua and Auckland golf championships, has had a great sporting career. In fact, as an all-rounder, it is unique in the history of sport in New Zealand. Here is the record which Brinsden has established: Represented primary school at Soccer. Represented Auckland at Rugby. Represented Auckland at hockey. Held Auckland tennis championship (mixed doubles, two years). Present holder Auckland and Rotorua golf championships. Prominent billiards player (runnerup twice in Crystalline Cup). Played senior cricket for Ponsonby. The erection of the goal nets at Richmond Park on Saturday would have placed beyond doubt the issue of an uncertain goal disallowed to Marist. L. Fleete shot from well out and the ball hit the cross-bar and appeared to go in. A goal was at first signalled by the referee, but he then took the precaution of consulting the linesmen. The linesman on Fleete’s side did not see the incident. The goal’was disallowed and a bounce was ordered. When broadcasting was discussed by the New Zealand Rugby Union yesterday, the country unions claimed that they were affected by the broadcasting of metropolitan club matches. Delegates were astonished to learn that both Wellington and Auckland had derived monetary consideration for last season’s broadcasting. It was decided to recommend that the major unions should assist the minor unions by eliminating the broadcasting of club matches. How brilliant a runner D. Evans, of Taihape, really is can be gauged from his times for the following distances: 100yds, 10 3-10 sec; 220yds, 23sec; 440yds, 50sec; 880yds, lmin 54 2-ssec; one mile, 4min 21 2-ssec. *IIe has never been defeated over a mile, while Dr Peltzer, the famous German, is the only man who has ever headed him over 880yds. Evans will not be twenty-three years of age until next October, so that youth is on his side. He would be a worthy representative at the Olympic Games.

N.Z. Girl Athlete. The selection of Miss Thelma Kench, girl sprinter, to represent New Zealand, is strongly supported in Wellington and criticised elsewhere. A Wellington writer says:—“Miss Kench has better performances to her credit than Miss Norma Wilson, who was sent to the 1928 Olympic Games, and who by no means disgraced herself, and her times are as good as those of the Australian girl who is being sent. What is more, in view of Miss Kench’s strong finish, the extra nine-odd > r ards she will have in the 100 metres as against the 100 yards usually run in this country will be an advantage to her.” Miss Kench’s best time for the 100 yards is 11 l-ssec. The best time of the Japanese girl' champion, who will also compete at Los Angeles, is 10 3-ssec. A number of famous Rugby players of past days were present at yesterday’s annual conference of the New Zealand Rugby Union. Among them were: W. J. Wallace, 1903-8 international player and member of the famous 1905 combination ; P. Glasgow, 1905 and 1908, and C. G. Porter, M. F. Nicholls and Read Masters, of the famous 1924 combination which toured Great Britain. Both Messrs Porter and Nicholls took a prominent part in the discussion regarding scrummaging. The Grounds Committee of the Lancaster Park Board, and its chairman (Mr W. L. King) came in for a welldeserved measure of praise at last night’s meeting of the board. Mr W. Flewellyn, who spoke for the athletic bodies’ of the city, congratulated Mr King* and his committee on the state of the park. Its fine condition had been a real help to runners, he said. Mr W. 11. Winsor added the congratulations of the cricketing fraternity, and said that the park had been excellent throughout. Cameron, captain of the South Africans, had told him that the park was one of the best, if not the best wicket the side had played on during the tour.

Porter Shows How. During the course of his demonstration at the blackboard on the new scrummaging law at yesterday’s meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union, Mr C. G. Porter came in for a good deal of criticism when he demonstrated how the two-three-two scrum could beat the three-man front row by packing on the loose head. There were continual interjections that if that system was adopted the game would be reduced to a farce. After stating that such a system had been adopted in the Devon game in England in 1924, Mr Porter naively said that there was a good deal of * difference in a theory demonstrat- * ed on the blackboard and in actual practice as carried out on the field of play. All the delegates were in agreement w’ith him on this. Incidentally the Devon match was responsible for the w’orst exhibition of scrummaging on the tour of England. The ball had to be put in. time and time again before the hookers could function as the British scrum had nothing to support it and it continually collapsed. An incident which caused much amusement to City Councillors who inspected the parks and reserves yesterday occurred as they were leaving Wooiston Park. Two barefooted primary schoolboys who w’ere involved in a doubtful tackle in a friendly football match indulged in some rough handling of each other before getting to their feet for a willing bout of fisticuffs. The rest of the field, forgetting their football, gathered round to see the fun. The climax came when the school-master-referee pointed sternly to the sideline, to which two disconsolate figures made their way, there to put on their boots and adjust their differences | as well as they might.