FOOTBALL

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17108, 1 April 1921, Page 9

FOOTBALL

OTAOO RUGBY UNION. (special to "the press.")

DUNEDIN, March 31

At tho annual meeting o£ tho Otago Rugby Union, the matter of the charge for admission to club matches was mentioned, the general opinion appearing to be that no increase should bo made. It was, however, left in the hands of tho now management committee.

The president (Mr H. Harris), in his address, said he regretted to havo to again mention tho .matter of betting on footbull. It was well known that a large amount of this went on, and he hoped the delegates and the committee would influence club members to.do all in their power to atop it. It had been said that some £2OOO or £3OOO had changed hands over one interprovincial match. If this sort of thing went on, tho game woulo\lose the support of tho public, without which it could not live.

THE SOUTH AFRICAN TEAK. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

METERMARITZBURG, February 22.

For the purpose of considering matters in connexion with the coming visit of a South African Rugby team to New Zealand, an emergency general meeting of the South African Rugby Football Board was held at Cape Town on February 17th. All the Rugby Unions of .South Africa- were represented with tho exception of tho Transvaal. Mr J. Heyneman presided. Resolutions were submitted regarding the advisability of Appointing/eithor a- selection or elimination committee, but, after ft long l discussion, it was agreed to accept the whole of the eutries, numbering 112 in all, for the trial games that are to be played before the team leaves.

Mr A. S. Morris was Appointed trainer to accompany tho, team, at the expense of the South African Board.

The rules which governed tho South African team in 1012 were, adopted, after somo discussion.

CANTERBURY fiUGBY LEAGUE,

The ninth Annual report of the Canterbury ! Rugby League to be presented at the annual !• Meeting to bo held at the Y.M.C.A. tomorrow night, f.tates that flie prospects for the coming season are most favourable, and- with the propc*»<?<l viait oE tho Australasian team.to England, the New Zealand team's tour to New South Wales and Queensland, the visit of a Queensland team to Now Zealand, the various interprovincial fixtures, and the five local grade premierships, the code should make further progress, and with due support, attain the premier position in local winter pastimes. It will, tho report states, be to the advantage of the game for nil supporter© to give assistance to the younger players', especially by giving their services in refereeing their games »nd in instructing the junior grades in making their play faster, and cultivating fast, sure passing, and euro tackling. The report traverses tho visit of the English team last season, the -rariousr representative games, in which Canterbury took part, and tho local competitions, -and incidentally refers to the need for suitable training rooms. 3 The balancersheet shows receipts to have been £llß 17s 2d, and the expenditure £409 Is Sd, leaving a. credit balance of £i 15s 9d.