AFTER TEN YEARS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20784, 19 April 1939, Page 10

AFTER TEN YEARS

| SENIOR STATUS AGAIN CITY RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB TO PLAY IN STAG SERIES After an absence of ten years from the senior Rugby football ranks in ] Hamilton, the City Club was granted | senior status once again by the man- : a,cement committee of the Hamilton : Rugby Union last evening. The. de- 1 cision which was reached by a six-to- | four vote will entitle City to enter the • Stag competition this seasonAfter a long debate on the applica- l tion of the City Club for senior status, « Mr R. Johnston moved that the appli- 1 cation be granted. Argument of Delegates Mr F. Buckingham said Hamilton could field four teams easily, especially ! in view of the fact that Hamilton teams were all near the top of the competition last season. If two Hamilton teams were fielded, as was planned for i the future, those fifteens would be too strong for other competitors. Mr R. Anderson said the union had to provide entertaining football for the public. An additional 'team might weaken the standard of the Rugby 1 teams in Hamilton. He thought City 1 should have won the senior B competition last year to justify its claims. He appreciated City’s position but could not support the club’s application. Mr E. Oxenham said the entry of City would probably mean the death of one of the present senior teams which, he thought, would be Frankton. That was probable owing to the shortage of senior players. Mr A. E. Gibbons’ sympathies were with City but he did not think Hamilton could carry four teams. Future of Junior Players Mr J. D. Hislop said a club which built up strong junior ranks was entitled to senior status. If other clubs suffered it could not be helped. Mr Hislop added that City had a j right to inclusion if Putaruru were adj mitted and another team from Cambridge played. Players had to be | considered as well as the public. There | were more junior players in Hamilton j than hitherjo and for the good of i Rugby the junior players of the City [ Club had to be given an opportunity : to gain senior rank. ! Mr Oxenham suggested that in senior ranks. City and Frankton might unite and each club field a senior B team. An amendment, moved by Mr Gib- 1 bons, that at the expiration of frve games in the Stag series City have the 1 right to challenge the lowest of the three Hamilton teams and if successful to replace that team, taking over the points, was lost. MORRINSVILLE SUB-UNION NO PLAY UNTIL RAIN FALLS (Special to Times) MORRINSVILLE, Tuesday Owing to* the hard state or rootball grounds the Morrinsville Rugby Sub-Union 1 management committee decided last evening not to open its season until rain Tails. If the weather breaks this week senior and junior matches will be played on Sat- '■ unlay, but ir there is no rain the fixtures Tor next Saturday will be held over ( until the following Saturday or until such time as the grounds are fit for play. ' The Morrinsville Union holds the Peace J and Finlay cups, and is looking forward j to a programme or sub-union matches after the senior championship has been ‘ decided. ] Four senior five junior teams > and Tour third gr.-riV teams have been entered Tor the union’s championships. 1 The first day’s play for the juniors will I be the annual seven-a-side tournament for t the brabble Cup. The seniors will begin . the Marshall Cup competition, which will 1 be played during the first round of sen- ■ ior games, arter which the senior cham- 1 pionship will be started. " f