NO AGE LIMITS NOW FOR JUNIOR RUGBY PLAYERS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 18, 3 April 1950, Page 5

NO AGE LIMITS NOW FOR JUNIOR RUGBY PLAYERS

Bringing the competition more into line with those of several outside unions the eligibility of junior players in the Whakatane SubUnion was changed at a special general meeting of the Union on Thursday night when the age limit of 21, which previously operated, was dropped and a weight limit only of 12 stone adopted. This decision was reached after some considerable discussion.

As it now stands the senior grade is not affected but anyone may now play junior as long as they are under 12 stone but for under 18 players there is no weight limit. For third grade players the weight limit is now 10 stone 51bs for any 18-year-old player. For players 15 and under there is no weight limit. These new conditions will greatly affect junior rugby in the union but, it is hoped, there should be more players available now in each grade with a corresponding increase of teams in the third grade, junior and senior *grades. The secretary of the Union, Mr D O. Stewart, said after the meetii.g that under the old regulations quite a number of players were barred from the game and it was the Union’s intention to try and encourage , these players to take up the game. Strong support of these new conditions was made by the junior rey c sentative, Mr V. C. Butler, coach of last year’s senior Auckland representative team. 1

Present indications are that Rugby is going to go ahead in the competitions this year with more players and teams available. The new junior regulations will only affect the Whakatane Union, which is the only Union in the Bay of Plenty now that has no age limit.