RUGBY FOOTBALL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 57, 11 March 1946, Page 7

RUGBY FOOTBALL

WANGANUI UNION’S REPORT PAST SEASON REVIEWED. A successful season is reviewed in the 58th. annual report of the Wanganui Rugby Football Union which will be presented to the annual general meeting of delegates to be held on March 28. The evcr-po-pular King's Day fixture with Taranaki produced another excellent game and was attended by a large number of football fans. Another popular fixture which was resumed was the home-and-home matches against Manawatu and these produced some of the brightest Rugby seen on the park for many years. The local senior representatives played five matches with other centres, during the season, winning two, losing two and playing one drawn game. SUB-UNIONS’ ACTIVITIES. After being in recess during the war years the Rangitikei Union resumed activity, and enjoyed a successful season in the Senior B and Third Grades. A number of games were played between the Metropolitan teams and the various sub-un.ons, continues the report, the country teams winning four of tnc six games played. The expectation is confidently expressed tnat the Wainui-a-Rua Subunion will resume competition playing during the course of the ensuing season.

Keen competition was manifested in all the grades in the local competitions, and the following clubs emerged the victors in the various sections:

—Senior, P.rates; senior CharityCup, City and Wanganui Old Boys; junior, Pirates; thirds, Kaierau; fourths, Technical “A”; fifths, Collegiate “A”; sixths, Technical, midgeis, Gonville School. The Marist Club was the winner of both the Wilson Cup for juniors and the Maoriland Cup awarded to the premier third grade team.

Secondary and Primary School Rugby was on a high plane during the season and the committee is appreciative of the co-operation displayed by the various schools. Congratulations are conveyed to the Collegiate School in sharing the honours with Wellington College in the annual quadrangular competition which was played at Wanganui. WARD MEMORIAL SHIELD.

One gome was played in connection with this shield —Wanganui beating Waiouru Military Camp by 16 to 9. As this shield was for competition between Wanganui and military camp teams during the war this was the final game, and the shield is to be held by the Union.

With regard to the various playing grounds, the report stated that Spriggens Park had never been in better condition and maintained its reputation for being one of the best wet weather grounds in the Dominion.

Owing to the increased number of teams in the grade competitions, the committee experienced some diiiiculty in providing sufficient playing areas and the union was grateful to the Wanganui Jockey Cluo for placing the racecourse grounds at its disposal. The statement of accounts reveals the union tb be in a sound financial pos Lion, the net profit standing at £156 7s lOd compared with £2B 10s 9d for the previous year.

MARIST TO PLAY IN SENIOR RUGBf MEZdBERSHIP INCREASES At the annual meeting of the Marist Football Club on Thursday night last a decision to enter a team in the Wanganui Rugby Rootball Union’s senior competition for the ensuing season was reached. It was repo: ted that in 1939 the cluk.’s strength was depleted to such an extent that it was found impossible to field a serjor team, but witn the cessation of hos.ilities a large number of former players have returned and once again the numbers warrant the fielding of a first grade team. The chairman (Mr. E. O’Hailoran) stated that he was confident that Ma.ist would give a good account of itself. It was also decided to revive the Spilla: e Cup tournaments this year. The Spillane Cup, which was presented many years ago by Mr. C. I. Spillane, of Wanganui, for competition between Marist Clubs in the Dominion, was last held in 1939 in Wanga: ui, when eight clubs took part. This year.the tournament is scheduled to take place at Napier during Easter, and arrangements are now being made for the Wanganui club to participate. OPEN JUNIOR GRADE

A motion was carried that the delegates to the annual meeting of the Wanganui Rugby Union be instructed to move that the junior grade be declared open this season. It was the general opinion of the meeting that the present closed junior grade barred many keen players, over the age of 21 Lut not of sufficiently high standard for senior play, from participation in Rugby. It wds considered unfair that, these players should be- left on the bank. The only objection to an open grade for juniors was that school teams would be forced into competition with older and more mature players. It. was rot in the intere of good Rugby to keep so many enthusiastic players off the field on account of school teams. ELECTION OF OFFICERS The election of officers resulted:— Patron, Rev. Father Burke; president, Mr. D. Martin; vice-presidents, Rev. Marist Fathers, Rev. Marist Brothers, Messrs. D. Corliss, R. Campion, R. McDonald, I. Manly, C. Morgan, I. A. Dur.stone, G. Spooner, J. O’Neill, B. R. Dobbs, R. Smith, J. Quirke, B. Dow, B. Deere; chairman of committees, Mr. C. J. Carmody; hon. secrea:y, Mr. J. Connell; hon. -auditor, Mi. C. J. Carmody; club captain, Mr. H. Wackrow; hon. treasurer, Mr. D. Crosswell; executive committee, Messrs. A. Martin, F. Cudby. G. Williams; chaplain to the club, Rev. Falner Bergen: delegates to annual general meetirg of the Wanganui Rugby Union, Messrs. 11. Wack row and R. Smith; delegate to management committee of union, Mr. Mackrow: deolgate to junior management boaid, Mr. R. Smith.

PIRATE CLUB REPORT The report of the Pirate Rugby Football Club, to be presented to the annual meeting on Thursday of this week, states that the club honours board has been completed and that 105 names have been compiled. It is the intention of the executive that the honours board will be unveiled at a place and date to he arranged. Thu report records a very successful season, the club winning for lhe second consecutive year the senior and second-grade Wanganui Rugby championships. Club trophies won during the year were as follows: Barns Memorial, M. Da'es ; Hurley (’up. I. O'Connor: Tvler Cup, T. Dalltra; Waters Cup, N. Jan nines. Acknowledgment, is made in the report of the services of the different coaches and club officials who had cooperated Io make the season so successful. Tim St. John Ambulance Brigade, the Referees’ Association, and