FOOTBALL

Waikato Independent, Volume XXX, Issue 2316, 27 March 1930, Page 6

FOOTBALL

WAIKATO RUGBY UNION. ANNUAL REPOET. The following is the annual report to.be record at the annual meeting of the above at Hamilton on Friday, 2Sth March: —

I Your committee have pleasure in presenting the annual report for 1929, and in doing so desire to state that the season was a very successful one, twelve games in all beings played. The prcscntative team went on tour last July to the East Coast, and played five games, result being one win, one draw, and three losses The.outstanding game of the tour was against Hawke 's Bay at Hastings, each team scoring 11 points .after a splendid exhibition of Rugby.

The following are the inter-provincial matches played during the season: — Waikato 17 v. Auckland 2, at Hamilton; Waikato 27 v. King Country 8, at Te Awamutu; Waikato 11 v. Hawke's Bay 11, at Hastings; Waikato 6 v. Wairo.a 8, at Wairoa; Waikato 15 v. Est Coast 11, at Uuatoria; Waikato 3 v. Poverty Bay 16, at Gisborne; Waikato 8 v. Bay of Plenty 21, at Whakatane; Waikato 0 v. Auckland 30, at Auckland; Waikato 3v. Hawke's Bay 11, .at Hamilton; Waikato 12 v. Thames Valley 11, at Paeroa; Waikato 21 v. Canterbury 17, at Hamilton; Waikato 6 v. Wellington 22, at Hamilton. Points for, 129; against, 191. Won 4, lost 7, drawn 1. All Black Honours: The union had great pleasure last June in congratulating Mr J. Tuck (Hamilton sub-Union) upon his selection to represent New Zealand with the team that toured Australia in 1929. We feel sure that Mr Tuck gained considerable experience with this team, as well as playing up to the standard required by the wearer of an All Black jersey. Finlay Cup: After a good series of games, Cahibridgo were the winners of •this cup for 1929. Waikato Junior Championship Cup: Matamata proved themselves to be the strongest junior representative team in the Waikato last season, and are the present holders of this cup.

At the last annual conference of the New Zealand E-ugby Union, held at Wellington, Messrs B. Chapman and T. W. Thompson represented this union. On February 20th, Mr T. A. Cooper tendered his resignation as selector to

the union, the management committee accepting same with regret, and at the same time eulogising his past services to Waikato football. Many thanks .arc due to the Press for publicity given to the game during the season, also' to the St. John Ambulance- Brigade for their services. The Union's Finances. The union's balance sheet shows assets as follows: —Sundry assets, £ls; on fixed deposit, £150; Bank of New Zealand, £2l 2/6; total, £lB6 2/6. On the liabilities side: Accumulated fund, £169 2/6; school football, £l7; total, £lB6 2/6. The profit and loss account for the I year shows .a profit of £l6 3/-. I The individual rep. match balance

sheets showed the financial results of

the several fixtures as follows:—Trial match and Auckland match: Profit £lB4 6/10. Hawke's Bay match: Profit £B3 16/2. Canterbury match: Profit £4.7 16/9. Wellington match; Profit £47 13/9.

The travelling expenses account for the season showed an expenditure of £466 15/9, while grants received from matches on tour totalled £2ll 8/-. The East Coast tour cost the union £3Bl 11/6, less the amount of grants mentioned.

The union distributed £23 among the sub : unions for school football during the year, leaving a balance in hand for this purpose of £l7.

KICKING INTO TOUCH,

A FEW NOTES. (By "Oval.") This evening the annual meeting of the local Rugby Sub-Union will take place and within a short time the new football season will be under way. As to the prospects of football in this district this season, they are no worse than at the beginning of last year, though in the matter of playing strength Cambridge could well do with more players. It is to be hoped that all players availablcjvill get the jersey on this season, and that any young fellow who has an inclination to play will not be backward in approaching one of the district clubs and become a member. Intending members' should join the club in the district in which they reside. The writer has heard some talk of certain players leaving the club representing the district in which they reside to go and play for some other club. "Oval" would strongly urge these players to be sports; sink .any little differences they may have, and to remember that the game's the thing, and not the winning of a trophy.

The majority of the clubs have now held their annual meetings. The United (town) Club appears to be very strong this year and will, no doubt, put strong teams into the field. Hautapu will not be overburdened with players. However, they are silent workers, and will no doubt a good fifteen in the old red and white jerseys, when the club competition starts. It is to be regretted that Leamington is weak in senior players, and will have to be nursed by the union this year. "Oval" heartily agrees with a correspondent the other day that the solution of Cambridge's lack of senior players is the affiliation of junior clubs to the nearest senior club. As examples: Kaipaki junior club affiliated to Leamington. Matangi to Hautapu. Under this condition the present junior clubs would not lose their identity. For instance Kaipaki would still play as Kaipaki juniors and Leamington would still retain its junior team, but any players in the Kaipaki juniors qualifyin a for senior status would automatically go into the Leamington club's senior team, the same action applying generally. It should be the aim of every junior to rise to senior status, but under the present conditions in this and other sub-unions there is a selfish and surprising tendency on the part of juniors to remain juniors for ever. It also encourages a class of junior team that really is qualifying for senior status. Such a condition is by no means fair to the senior club, which is constantly sending up junior players to senior status. No doubt the matter will be discussed at the annual meeting of the sub-union to-night. Kick into Touch. There is every probability that another matter that will come up for discussion is the proposal in some parts of the Dominion to revert to the old "kick into touch" rule. Of course this action is being engendered by certain persons in the country simply because the British team will soon be invading our world of Rugby. Without mincing words "Oval" would say that he is strongly opposed to going back to the old rule. We don't want to" boast, but we can still say that New Zealand leads both in playing ability and in Rugby progress. The writer docs not want New Zealand Rugby to go to the opposite extreme to please some enthusiasts who want to see 15 backs on the field on each' side, but on the other hand I am satisfied that the limiting of the kick into touch was a progressive move that has much merit associated. We know what a monotonous game the old game can be, and that in the past on many occasions the better team lost, just for the reason that every time the opponents got the ball they booted it nearly to Hong Kong, or somewhere else. The All Blacks had to conform to the old game when they went overseas, and the same should apply to the British team when they visit New Zealand they should conform to our rules. If they had to do this perhaps it would bring the English Union <.to its senses and make it realise that the solution of the troubles of the game throughout the Rugby world is the need for international rules, and not modelled on the

old English rules either. International • rules with the best amendments from ' all the Pugby countries, and if model- ! led on the All Blacks game, would j bring about a higher standard of international football than pertains to-day. Even if we arc compelled to play the British team under l-io old rules, let

us play them, but not at the expense of

the progress we have made in the game in late years. Let us be like Drake

and the Spaniards. Play our club competitions and inter-union matches on our present rules and then go out and beat the Britishers at their own game, if necessary. Again "Oval" would say that he is opposed to reverting to the old rule, an>T expresses the hope that the matter will be well discussed at the meeting to-night.