Rugby Executive Meets On Tuesday But Early Start Unlikely

Chronicle (Levin), 3 April 1948, Page 7

Rugby Executive Meets On Tuesday But Early Start Unlikely

THE seeond step towards the commencement 'of the " new j Rugby season in the Horowhenua will be taken on Tuesday j night, when the newly-elected management committee will j hold its first' meeting. .The annual meeting of the union was j held on- Wednesday. ' The date of commencement of (competition games will j be one of the first matters to be discussed, biit there is little j likelihood of an early commencement this year. Last season a start was made on April 19, but judging by the condition of j most of the grounds it'is unlikely that they will be used tui much later in the month. Nominations for teams will also have \ to be called, and then there is thea all important function of j appointing coaches. j

The number of senior teams the union can safely run will . probably be another question which the committee will have to discuss. It is believed that the Otaki-Rahui Club is now desirous of ending the amalgamation and fiel'ding separate. senior teams. Last season's seniors were Shannon, Foxton, Athletic, .Wanderers, Hui Mai and Otaki-Rahui. The general practice ,for minor unions is to have a maxi-' mum of six senior teams, though if a larger number is offering it should be possible for- the commijttee to give consideration to the institution of a senior B grade competition. Punahau is understood to be keen on flelding a senior team this year. Last season they had one junior team. Whether or -not the committee will favour raising the Punahau team to the s'tatus of senior grading, has yet to be settled. The question may arise on Tuesday night for consideration, but had it won the junior 'competition last season it would have had much better ammunition with which to back its claim. The annual meeting of the union on Wednesday night brought forth some very sound suggestions which will be considered on Tuesday. The issue of season tickets to all players is long overdue. The ol'd haphazard methods of verbal assurances to gatekeepers, or the production of football gear to prove identity, have long been the subject of complaint from players. After all, they are the ones who provide the . public with a worth while sport, and are deserving of consideration. Gate Increase Justified The recommendation that the gate fees to the public be raised seems a very justiflable one in view of the increasing costs to be met by unions. The fact that the local union js down £100on the -year -is an indication of"the serioushess of the position. If Horowhenua- is ;|p be represented further afield, ari'q if good home matches are to.i be staged here, the public must exfiebt to makc its contribution. The number of applications for the playing of friendly games indicates that there is a keenness among clubs to get started. Most clubs have held their first practices and club officials are all hope-

•ful of flelding good teams. A major fault in recent .years is the habit of many players of leav- j ing serious tralning till after the start of the season. ' Some of these players are consequently passengers j in their teams for the first few Saturdays, and are not at their best till well on in the season. This j slackness is unfair to their teammates and to Rugby g,enerally. A disturbing factor last year was , the increasing practice of players and even, rriore regrettably, some club officials, questioning the decision of referees and, it was reported in " one case, even going to the extent.of adopting a threatening attitude.. The language used by some players during play . was alsp brought to the notice of the union. It is well-khown the difficulties under which referees work, and how hard it is fbr unions. to obtain the seryices of suitable men. The referees do a good job and, • being in the best position to judge, their decisions should be accepted on the field without question". If a player considers he has a legitimate complaint, there is the proper time j and place for it to be aired. Administration Changes Some sweeping changes have taken place in the management committee. Only three of the last - committee now remain, apart from the president and vice-president. Whether these changes are f.or the best, only time will tell, but all the new members have a solid Rugby background. There has been a noticeable, though perhaps riatural, tendency among some members of past management committees, towards p'arochialism and the raising of small domestic matters of their clubs in i the committee room, overlooking j the principal function of the com- j mittee — to work for the interest j 'and betterment Of Rugby generally | throughout its diptrict. : , ft. is, to be ho'pfed that the new j committee will aetively continue the ! policy of encouragihg the nursqry j grades, for it is .from there tfiat j Horowhenua will -;ultimately draw . its future representatives. Other winter sports are making ! increasingly greater inroads into J the Rugby-mindedness of yoiing- j sters and if a really big effort is ; not made, Rugby may find itself j challenged as the premier winter \ sport of New Zealand. j