FOOTBALL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19830, 3 May 1927, Page 4

FOOTBALL

SATURDAY’S GAMES GROUNDS AND REFEREES. The following are the grounds and referees for the Wanganui Metropolitan Rugbv Sub-Union fixtures next Saturday:— Seniors. Kaierau v. Tech. 0.8., at Spriggens Park, at 3 p.m.—Mr C. I. Spillane. County v. Marists, at Fordell, at 3 p.m.—Mr N. Reid. Old Boys v. Pirates, at Spriggens Park, at 1.30 p.m. —Mr F. C. Atkinson. Juniors. Tech. v. Collegiiate (mid-week fixture). —Mr J. S. King. Aramoho v Old Boys, on Racecourse No. 1, at 1.30 p.m.—Mr J. B. Powe. Marists v. Queen’s Park, on Racecourse No. 1, at 3 p.m. —Mr A. Temperton. Tech. 0.8. v. Pirates, on Racecourse No. 2, at 3 p.m.—Mr J. Riehartlson. Kaierau v. County, at Fordell, at 1.30 p.m.:—Mr W. H. Rowe. Thirds. Collegiate v. Queen’s Park, on Collegiat ground, 'at 2.30 p.m. —Mr T. Hurley. Pirates v. Marists, on Racecourse No. 2, at 1,30 p.m.—Mr T. Thompson. Old Boys v. Kaierau. at Atkinson Park, at 2.30 p.m. —Mr W. Briggs. Aramoho have the bye. Fourths. Tech. A. v. Collegiate B (mid-week fixture). —Mr J. Delves. Marists v. Queen’s Park ,on Racecourse No. 3, at 1.30 p.m. —Mr W. McElwain. Collegiiate A v. Aramoho, on Collegiate ground, at 2.30 p.m.—Mr fan Cameron. Tech. B v. Kaierau, on Tech, ground, at 1.30 p.m.—Mr J. Molen. Pirates have the bye. Fifths. Kaierau v. Pirates, on Racecourse No. 3, at 3 p.m. —Mr L. Fromont.

SATURDAY’S GAMES ADDITIONAL GRADE RESULTS The following are additional results from grade matches on Saturday:— Fourths. Tech. A 8 v. Collegiate A 4. Tech. B won from Old Boys by default. Collegiate B 23 v. Queen’s Park 0. Pirates 22 v. Aramoho 0. Kaierau won from Tech. 0.8. by default. Fifths. Collegiate B 24 v. Tech C 0. Kaierau 77 v. Tech D 0. Tech. A 30 v. Pirates 0. Tech. B v. Collegiate A, not played. TEAMS’ TURN OUT A NEEDED IMPROVEMENT A very welcome improvement was noticed in the turn-out of teams at Spriggens Park on Saturday, when Wanganui and Old Boys’ and the Marist Club started the season spick and span in full club uniform, the last named fifteen even having numbers on their backs. This is a good start for the season, and it is hoped that all teams will fall into line and take the field every Saturday correctly attired. In the pas* there has been too much wearing of nondescript and heterogeneous garb, and this greatly militates against the impression upon the public which the players might otherwise make.

MIDGET COMPETITIONS DRAW REARRANGED Owing to some dates not being available the draw for the Midget competition has been rearranged as follows: —Saturday May 7: Tawhero v. Castlecliff; Friday June 3: Wanganui East v. Gonville A.; Saturday June 4: Queen’s Park v. Aramoho; Saturday .June 11: Durie Hill v. Williams Park; June 18: Gonville B v. Marist B. MARIST CLUB The Marists’ juniors, thirds and fourths will practice at Spriggens Park training shed to-night at 7.30. The seniors will meet at St. Joseph’s Hall. SCHOOL SPORT TRADITIONAL ENGAGEMENTS. MOASCAR CUP SERIES. In view of the fact that the Rugby season in New Zealand is now in full swing, the following article in the Auckland Sun, bearing on the Moascar Cup contests, should prove of interest: — The statement that the Moascar Cup —the fate of which will be finally decided by the N.Z. Rugby Union on May 7—might have before now become a permanent and popular institution in New Zealand sport if some of the older schools, such as Wanganui Collegiate School and Christ’s College, had exhibited greater friendliness towards it, is in itself a recognition of the prestige of those ancient institutions, but opinions differ as to whether the responsibility for the failure of the cup

competitions can be placed on their shoulders. There are those who believe that the studied aloofness of Wanganui Collegiate School, Christ's College, King’s College, and Wellington College, foredoomed the Cup competition to failure, and there are others who consider the Cup would have failed in any case. They share the conviction, that a Cup is not a good thing in school football, and at least one Wanganui old boy has expressed resentment at the implication that his old school stood aloof from State-controlled institutions. Matches With High Schools. This might have been true of Wanganui when the Cup was instituted, but it is not true now, as annual fixtures are played with Palmerston North High School, New Plymouth High School and Wanganui Technical College —all State-controlled secondary schools. Wanganui has always directed its principal Rugby interests towards the annual match with Te Aute College, and the historic tournament in which Christ’s and Wellington also participate. It would obviously be absurd to suggest that the school should have forgone these traditional and time-mel-lowed engagements in favour of the nebulous Cup competition, but an occasional challenge—not necessarily an annual or even regular one—would have been a gesture of interest and friendliness that might have done a lot to help the Moascar Cup series along its thorny path. Dr Marshall, master at Wanganui Collegiate School when the Moascar Cup was introduced, looked with disfavour on the prospect of further matches, and the game with Palmerston High School did not become a regular thing until Wanganui sent down a seven-a-side team which suffered an awful trouncing—3s to nil in 14 minutes, Akuira, later to rise to fame, converting all the seven tries scored by Palmerston North.

An Illustrious Record. Such spasmodic reverses come to every school, and this one in no way marred the wonderful record Wanganui Collegiate School has created in sport, both here and overseas. For manyyears the school fifteen was quite invincible, and it produced a success of brilliant athletes. , The names of Dive, Hitchings, Kinder, Humphreys, J. O. Hives, Hunter, Stewart, Tala and Bryce recall glorious chapters in school football. To English and Scottish University teams Wanganui contributed, among others, V. G. Williams, H. S. Gilmer, A. E. Porritt. Throughout its history Wanganui Collegiate School has given to New Zealand sport fine oarsmen, good cricketers, and men who played the game in its true spirit. For that reason it is perhaps the more regrettable that the Moascar Cup competition was not given the benefit of its support.