RUGBY IN MORNING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 145, 20 June 1936, Page 7

RUGBY IN MORNING

NEXT TUESDAY’S BIG MATCH WANGANUI v. MANAWATU Next Tuesday Wanganui and Manawatu are to play a representative match at Wanganui as a prelude to the Wanganui Jockey Club’s race meeting in the afternoon. The match is timed to kick off at 10.30 a .in, the time marking a departure from oidinary practice, bringing the Rugby game into the picture as a sport suriable for a morning as well as for an afternoon.

Manawatu is reported to have a particularly well-balanced team, forward and back. Jt will doubtless include the well known All Diack forward, A. McKenzie, a plajer who undoubtedly made a name for himself in Britain, and Nelson Ball, a wing thee-quarter who rose from the ranks of Wanganui and Old Boys- club to All Black status. Ball played in Wanganui in the five-eigth line for a period, and was then picked as a wing three quarter. It was there that h« was able to display his phenomenal dash and tricky hip movement. Be was transferred to Wellington, playing for Hutt and for the Poneke clubs, winning his way into the, Wellington team and finally into the All Blanks. Ke toured Australia and went Home with the New Zealand team last year. The Wanagnui team for Tuesday is much the same as that wh’eh player Taranaki. H. Taiuru hag taken the place of Bullock-Douglas, Xvho ij nursing an injured knee. He was unable to play in his last club game, that against Marist, and signified that he would not be available for selection against Manawatu. In all other respects the Wanganui backs are the same as the line which lost to Tarauaki on May 30, except that Peterseon i«. t 0 play at first five-eigth and Jone* at second. In the previous match their positions were reversed. The only change in the Wanganui forwards is the rejriaeement of J. McClenaghan (Waverley) by C. Hut'chinson (Teehnicol Old * Boys). After to-day’s match at Marton the team should be possessed of a better degree of combination, anj ;t will be interesting to see how the inside positions go with the two five-eighths in reverse order. The Wanganui team is as follows: Full-baek: 11. Walker (Wrv.) Three-quarters: T. Chase (Tai.), A. B Campbell (Wav.), 11. Taiuru (R). Five-eighths: D. Jones (1-T) 2nd., J. Petersen (Wav.), Ist. Half-back: H. Brogden (M). Back of Scrum: G. Lockett (M) captain. sides of Scrum: C. Hutchinson (M), —.James (R). Locks: A. Davidson (M), W, Firmin (ML Front Row; M. McGregor (M) Charles (Tai.), W. Thompson (Tai'). Reserves: J. Morgan (M), back; L. Mclntyre and A. Stcwa-t (II), forwards.

MIXED OPINIONS GIVEN

REFEREES AND THE UNION OUTSPOKEN COMMENT MADE PROVINCE DISCUSSES “STRIKE.’ BOTH SIDES OF CASE HEARD NEW PLYMOUTH, June 19. Nothing occurred yesterday to alter the decision of Kuguy releiees tnat tneir services will uut be available for matches until “privilege tickets" lor representative fixtures are resiu-red to them. Northern division members of the Taranaki Referees J Association conferred in the afternoon with representatives of the Taranaki Lugoy Union concerning its decision to withdraw the right to free admission. The meeting was held in camera and afterwards the only statement was: “There is nothing to report, at present. ’ Whether there will be developments to-day is uncertain, but it is understood. that at yesterday’s conitrence each side stated its case and the points were thoroughly discussed. The referees’ action and the union’s decision were freely discussed uinuug footballers in Nu-rth Taranaki yesterday and it was even suggested tual the teams had decitxd nut to piay on {Saturday. That, however, was oniciady denied by officers of tne three New Plymouth clubs. Tukupa and Star both held gymnasium practices last night, but taough the union’s decision was freely criticised by players tnere was no question of a “strike.” Old Boys practised indoors on Wednesday nigiil, and they, too, intend to play. What will happen if the referees remain adameut it is difficult to lorecast. “It is absurd to suggest that the clubs will find their own referees,” said a club official yesterday. “How can they do that? Personally, my sympa.mes are with the referees. It is little enough to grant them tickets in recognition of their services Saturday after Saturday. What else do they get for it? Just abuse. Jt is a thankless enough job, and 1 consider also tnat tee union should back up the referees’ de cisions more strongly than in the past.” That opinion was generally endorsed by other Rugby supporters spoken to. it was pointed out that the withdrawal of privileges also affected presidents and secretaries of clubs, team mana gers and members of senior and lower grade teams. Some resentment was expressed on this score, it being contended that managers particularly had been harshly treated, but it appeared to be generally recognised that the

referees had a special case for coti'id■e ration. South Taranaki Views. Opposition to the suggestion of a strike by referees was expressed by Mr. George Hurley, Batea, to a Daily -News repc-rfer yesterday. He did not agree with the attitude taken up by Die referees generally, said Air. iiurley, who is well known in South Taranaki as a referee and an ol<l footballer. Players, he observed, did not get free passes for matches ofiber than those in which they were engaged, and if there were a strike of players where would the referees be? Games could go on without members of the referees’ organisation, but not without the players, ami he considered referees should be put on the same footing as ]»Jaycr.' where passes were concerned. As both players and referees did much to help the game why should there be differ entiation ? Though the Central Taranaki Rugby Referees’ Association has not officially reached any decision on the action of ihe Rugby Union, several members of the association at Stratford told a re porter yesterday that they did not feel inclined to go on “strike.” At least two, however, supported the action of the North Taranaki members, while one roundly criticised the action of the union and contrasted with feeling the conditions which referees and memb. is of the union management committee were accustomed to work. A special meeting of the central division associa (ion wul be held. Association to Meet. “We discussed the point informally but made no decision,” one central member said. “The general opinion seemed to be to Ivavc the matter to the meeting of the executive of the Tara naki Association at Hawera next week.” He thought there was every justification for the northern members’ actions, another stated. If the union persisted in enforcing its decision there w< uld very soon be few referees, and no Rugby. That would make a splendid opening for League. Rd frees did « thankless task voluntarily and had. to officiate in any conditions of wen’her fit for play. While he understood that members of the management committee of the union were to be similarly treated the conditions under which referees and committee members discharged their duties were markedly deferent. “I am against the 'strike.’ ” was a further opinion. “I did not take up refereeing for what I could gel. from it in the way of tickets. I joined to g(jt a gallop every week, because 1 am an old player, and because I am prepared to do what I can to help the game along.’’ The union’s action might read against it in the respect that there was little to encourage referees now. said a referee who supported the northern view. He pointed out that if fresh recruits to the referees’ ranks were net encouraged the time was not far dis tant when there would be no senior referee in Central Taranaki.