Could Southern Team Fill Senior Rugby Gap?

Chronicle (Levin), 22 April 1948, Page 4

Could Southern Team Fill Senior Rugby Gap?

The possibility of Waikanae and Paraparaumu combining to form. a j seriior rugby team .was a suggestion Imade at this week's meeting of the j management committee of the Slorowhenua Rugby Union. Discussion on the matter arose when it was made known to members that the Foxton Club would' be golng over to Manawatu. ' • Coming as it did on the eve of the commencement of competition games, Foxton's transfer placed the union in an awkward position sai'd the chairman, Mr. A. GiMespie, particularly after arrangements had been made for the combinaItion .of Otaki and Rahui and the drawing up of the season's programme. After such a satisfaetory arrangement had - been- made | between the two elubs at Otaki, it (Would be a pity- to break it up at jsuch a late stage*. The suggestion regarding the j possibility of a senior team from ; Paraparaumu and Waikanae playersv was first made by - Mr. D. Oliver, who said tha't his observations of k those teams had shown that there were .any amount of players there fit for senior rugby. ' Upholding the suggestion, Mr., G. Climie said he wpuld be willing to eonvene a meeting of the two jclubs, but a point he "wished to j raise first was that Otaki and ] Rahui had both applied for senior 1 teams this- season. . . i Mr. Oliver also agreed that this shoul'd not be overlooked. Mr. Gillespie: No, we must keep faith with them. Mr. A. Watt said that Rahui and Otaki had not actually amalgamated, ahd that he thought Rahui should be given preference as it was the stronger of the two teams. He feared that if another senior team j was formed in " the south, Rahui's position might b.e prejudiced next season. Speaking for the formation of a senior team from the southern elubs, Mr. R. Coehrane said that he would like to seea strengthening of the union in the south. Next season there might be eight senior teams offering, and that would be all the better for the union. In view of the- uncertainty of the position, it was decided that' meanjwhil'e only five senior teams would j be used. If anything arose to war- | rant a change, then it could be [made perhaps in the seeond round of the eompetitions. It was decided that in view of the ; alterations hrought about by Foxton's withdrawal, Wanderers would jbe changed from the southern secj tion • to the northem jnnior section I of -the union. The following are the amended j senior and junior fixtu-res for Saturday : — ! Senior: Athletic v. Otaki-Rahui, l at Otaki, 2.45 p.m. (Mr. McMillan) ; Wanderers ' v. Shannon, at the |SL~Y&. Doipaip, ,?.45 pfm. , (Mr,. Vertongen) ; Hui Mai, a bye. ! Juniors: Shannon v.- Tokomaru, 'at Shannon, 2 p.m. (referee not°yet known) ; Awaliau v. Athletic, at Awahau, 2 p.m. (Mr. Sayers) ; Punahau v. Wanderers, at Levin Domain, 1.15 p.m. (Mr. Woods) .