RUGBY CLUBS PROTEST

Chronicle (Levin), 26 June 1947, Page 4

RUGBY CLUBS PROTEST

Non-Inclusion Of Members InReps. Indignation at thejion-inclusion of any of their players in theRoroWheua junior representative side was expressed tby the 'Foxton and Waikanae Football Clubs in letters to Tuesday night's meeting of the Horowhenua Rugby Uriion's management committee. ♦ "My committee is perturbed at not having any junior "players :in "the side," wrote the secfjetary «of the Foxton 'Club, Mr. H. .J". Reid. "Foxton is the "only uiidefeated team in the 'northern 'division, and the amount of practice they car; have is very limited. ilt'is 'strange' that a team . having no players, accordi'ng 'to "the selectors, o'f any individual -ability, >should have 'had only three- tries -scored against them during the season. We iin Foxton consider .a junior representative -good'-enoUgh to play senior . next ' seuson, and view with alarm the .playing nf -a .reinstated senior piayer, approximat&y 35 years cof age, in a rep. trial.' We admit quite frankly that selectors may select, who -they like, but as feeling is running very high among ihe football public of Foxton we conMder .it our duty to make this protest." Waikanae's Viewpoint 'T am directed by *my committee to .express our indignation at the choice of the southern selector for the -south team to play in the rep. trial," wrote Mr. F. P. Kemsley. "We consider (that an insult has been made, not only to this club but also and more particularly tto Wanderers and -'Otdki Clubs. The selection of ten .players from Rahui Club, we feel sUre.wour committee will agree, shoWs poor sportsmanship and bad judgment and We consider it would take some stretch - of the imagination to convince anyone who knows the play of all teams in the ^southern "junior division that the Rahui team -is worthy of the confidence your selector :has ' placed,in"them. f "While we ■ appreciate -the "fact that your committee is placed-in a very delicate- position in this matter, we trust they will see fit ^to take some action to give other players in the junior division the justice they rightly deserve." When 'discussing these letters, the management committee members stated that .the first indication they had had. of the final selection was the publication of the teams in the newspapers. The selectors were. required to sehd their -list of selections to the management committee, which then officially released them for publication. No such list had ' been forthcoming, So that the union -was not yet officially -aware of the composi--tion -of the team. . It was decided that the selectors be asked to follow the correct proeedure in future, and also to officially notify the management com- ' mittee by July-'22 of 'their selection for the match on AUgust 9.