RUGBY FOOTBALL

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22506, 14 September 1938, Page 9

RUGBY FOOTBALL

UNIFORMITY OF RULINGS

REFEREES CLAIM LACK OF DIRECTION SIMPLIFICATION OF LAWS SUGGESTED “It is not fair to blame the referees for lack of uniformity; we simply have not been able to get rulings from the council of the »\pw Zealand Union,” declared Mr R J, G. Collins at the meeting of tha aanagement committee of the Canterbury Rugby Union last evening, ji'hen urging that steps should be tal »in future seasons to co-ordinate th rulings of referees in different parts of the country. In a general discussion it was suggested by the president (Mr J. K. Moloney) that it might be of benefit to Rugby football to return to the rules of 20 years ago. The union appointed a committee consisting of Messrs Collins, E. V. Phillips, and W. A. Britten, to bring down recommendations for simplification of the rules, which would be submitted to the New Zealand Rugby Union. Mr Collins said that the greatest difficulty had been caused this year by the interpretation of the scrummage rule. The conference of referees had asked the New Zealand council for a ruling, but no direction had been given. Referees in Wellington, presumably at the direction of the council, were ruling differently from those in Christchurch. This had had repercussions in a recent Seddon Shield match, and Mark Nicholls, who was coaching one of the teams, had taken the Canterbury referees to task for their interpretation of the rule, as he understood it from the Canterbury official who refereed the match. Mr Nicholls. he said, had his facts wrong, but it was not disputed that there was a difference in rulings in Canterbury and Wellington “It is actually impossible to apply scrummage rule, as it is worded ana as wc understand it to-day.” said Mr Collins.

THREE COMPETITIONS CLOSED GRADE GAMES NEAR END With the closing of the under 18 years, under 9st 71b, and under Bst 71 competitions by the management committee last evening, all the Canterbury Rugby Union’s competitions have now fcsen decided except the senior knock-out and the fourth-grade competitions.

Competitions closed last evening were won rs follows: . , Under 18 —Linwood (CnnslenurHi runner-up). , n , , , Under 9st 71b —Linwood (technical runner-up). , . , . ~ Under Bst 71b -Technical A Uvicn mond runner-up).

SPORTS DAY FOR FOOTBALLERS

CLOSE OF- THE SEASON

The Rugby football season Will *e closed in Christchurch on October 1 with a combined sports meeting and seven-a-side tournament on the Lancaster Park oval. The competitions committee of the Canterbury Rugby Union reported to the management committee last evening having drawn up a programme including a firpt-grade seven : a-side tournament, with entries limited to one team from each senior club, dribbling and goal-kicking competitions, and teams’ relay races in grade groups. The programme will begin at 1 p.m. with the first round of the seven-a-side competition. Entries will be called before next Monday.

CANTERBURY SECOND GRADE TEAM SIDE TO PLAY DULLER B Several changes have been necessary In the Canterbury second grade representative team which will meet Buffer B at Lancaster Park on Saturday. The team will now be as follows: — Full-back: Drower (Linwood). Three-quarters: Fountain (University), Cartwright (Training College). Sinclair (Old Boys). . Five-eighths: Kimberley (University), Harvey (Training College). Half-back: Cook (Christchurch) Forwards: Front row: Mahar (Athletic). Dasler (Albion). Wilton LinW pjfddle row; Wright (Sunnyside), Charteris (Merivale). Toon (Air Force), Hobbs (West Old Boys).. Back-ranker; Boyd (Sydenham). Emergencies—Backs; Amtman (Sydenham) Grav (Collegians). Kiddey i Technical). Elkis (Sydenham). Forwards: Lake (Technical). Andrews (Air Force). Mcßae (Albion). ..... All players will be required at the lighted training ground at 6.30 tomorrow evening. Any player not available is requested to advise thc Canterbury Rugby Union immediately.

BULLER TEAM TO PLAY CANTERBURY WESTPORT. September 13. The Buller Rugby team to play Canterbui’y at Christchurch on Saturday will be selected from the following olavers - —A. Dunn, F and W. Neighbours^D Strachin, W. Weenink, S. Stewart, J Alexander, K, Brown, R. Butterfield (backs). K. and M. Come, j Lake. R. Pratt. F, Kaye, A. Jackson G. B. Wilson, G. Mason, J. Brown, and T.' Phipps (forwards). DRAW FOR SATURDAY VISIT OF BULLEU TEAMS The representative match between ler and Canterbury, .with a match between Buller B and the Canterbury second grade representative team M cur-tain-raiser. will be the principal Rugb.v fixture at Lancaster Park on Saturday. On the south ground at Lancaster Paik Sunnyside and Christchurch will meet m the final Of the Canterbury Union s knockout competition for the Challenge Cup The draw is as follows:--Representative Matches —Bu.ler Can tilbury, Lancaster Park oval, -,4 a p.m (referee to bo appointed; touch Judge. Mr J. Armstrong). Buller E v. Canteibury second grade representatives, Lancaster Park oval, 1.15 p.m. (referee to b appointed; touch judge, Mr A. Smalej.

Challenge Cup Final—Sunnyside v Christchurch, Lancaster Park South, M-> p.m. (Mr H. T. Coulter; touch judges. Messrs K. Cooper and R. Newton). Fourth Grade—Linwood v. Beckenham. No. 9 North Park, 1.30 p.m. (Mr L. A. Keys): Technical v. Christchurch, No. JO North Park, 1.30 p.m. (Mr R. J. Mitchell); Merlvale v. High School Old Boys. No. 11 North Park, 1.30 p.m. (Mr J. Edmonds).

STATEMENT OF RUGBY LEAGUE CRITICISM OF REPORT OF WEST COAST MATCH S [THE PRESS Special Service.] GREYMOUTH, September 13. A challenge that was not accepted was received by the West Coast Rugby League at the weekly meeting held to-night. In a statement issued recently the League had alleged thaUthe newspaper reports of the senior match in which three players were ordered off were “grossly exaggerated and indicative of a biased attitude to the code on the part of the writers." The challenge was embodied in the following letter from the secretary of the Greymouth branch of the New Zealand Journalists' Association: “With reference to your published statement about the reports of the League match, which appeared in ‘The Press’ and the ‘Greymouth Evening Star ’ I am instructed to advise thal this association strongly resents the attack made in that statement on the reporters concerned and the members of this association as being unfair and totally unjustified. Particular resentment is expressed at your statement that the reporters are biased. We challenge you to furnish the slightest shred of proof of that charge or to withdraw it unreservedly." Without discussion it was decided to take no action.

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL PROPOSED VISIT OF ENGLISH TEAM COUNCIL TO NEGOTIATE WITH MID-WEEK CLUB tI’HESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON. September 13. New Zealand is not to have a visit from an English representative Association football team during the centennial. In a letter read at to-day s meeting of the council of the New Zealand Football Association, Mr S. F. Rouse, secretary of the Football Association, London, stated the invitation from New Zealand had been considered at a meeting op August 22. but it wag regretted that in view of other commitments, a tour to New Zealand in 1940 could not be recommended. The chairman of the council, Mr A. Miltaurn, recalled that the Islington Corinthians, a well-known London amateur mid-week club, was anxious to include New Zoaiand in Us tour of the southern hemisphere. The council. he said, could now deal direct with the club. The council decided that Auckland should be given the fir t cir’ll .nge next season against Otago lor the English '1 rophy.

CANTERBURY SPORTS PROPOSAL

MAN AC EMENT COM MITTEE MEETS A suggestion that a conference to discuss the proposal for holding a national sports meeting In Christchurch In 1940. should be called by the Mayor, was made by the Pioneer Sports Club In a letter to the management committee of the Canterbury Football Association received at the meeting of the committee last evening. The Pioneer Sports Club suggested that if not the Mayor, then some affiliated sports body should call the conference. Mr F. T. H. Bell presided. It was decided to offer the South Canterbury Football Association October 1 for a match between Canterbury and South Canterbury, to he played In Christchurch, and also to offer the same date for two boys' teams to play matches in Christchurch. ~ . It was decided to offer the Westland Football Association October 1 for a match between Canterbury and Westland for the Dewar Cup to be played at Greymouth. , . ... The sports officer of H.M.S. Achilles wrote accepting Wednesday, September 21, as the date for a match with the Royal Air Force at English Park. The use of the park was granted for Tuesday, September 27, *to play off the final of the ship’s inter-part competition. J. Rattray and Son and T. H. Green and Company were given permission to play a match on Hagley Park on September 17.

The Methodist Young Men’s Bible Class Union were given permission to hold a six-a-side tournament at Hagley Park on September 24. The Hornby Club was given permission to send a seventh grade team to play South Canterbury boys at Timaru on September 17. DRAW FOR SATURDAY’S GAMES All Watson Cup and higher grade Association football matches next Saturday will be played with 40 minute spells. If the scores are level at full time five extra minutes will be played each way in all grades, and this will be continued until a definite decision is reached. The draw is as follows (all games to start at 3 p.m. unless otherwise stated): —

English Cup—First round: Nomads v. St. Albans, English Park, 1.30 p.m. (Mr W. Kelly). Second round: Rangers v. Thistle, English Park (Mr H. Moore); Nomads A v. Air Force, Wlgram (Mr K. C. Neville); Technical B v. Western, at Rangiora (Mr C. Sweeney). Humphrey Cup—First round: Celtic v. Technical. Ensor’s road No. 1, 1.30 p.m. (Mr F. Cope). Second round: St. Albans v. Western, Hagley Park No. 4 (Mr L. Doherty). Watson Cup—Second round: Marist v. Celtic, Hagley Park No. 2 (Mr M. Walker); Thistle v. Technical, Hagley Park No. 3 (Mr A. Pritchard). White Cup—Final: Technical A v. Technical B, Ensor’s road No. 1, 1.30 p.m. (Mr F. McKeogh) Sevicke-Jones Cup—Second round; Marist v. Linwood, Hagley Park No. 3, 1.30 p.m. (Mr C. Keys): Hornby v. Nomads, Spreydon No. 1, 1.30 p.m. (Mr K. Johnston). Ramsay Cup—Second round; Nomads v. Western, Hagley Park No. 4. 1.30 p.m. (Mr G. Colville); Marist v. Celtic, Spreydon No. 2. 1.30 p.m. (Mr J. Hughes). Priddis Cup—Second round; Rangers v. St. Albans. Hagley Park No. 1. 1.30 p.m. (Mr D. Fraser); Marist v. Nomads, Hagley Park No. 2. 1.30 p.m. (Mr L. Williams).