News Briefs From Rugby Union's Meeting

Chronicle (Levin), 13 July 1949, Page 4

News Briefs From Rugby Union's Meeting

l. il II ii I ' i. mm i « i— i , The resiilt of a junior game on Saturday was reversed last night by the management commhtee of the Horowhenua Rugby Union because the winning team had replaced an injured piayer with one graded as a senior. It was the RahUi-Puna-hau match, which the former won 20—8. The Punahau club lodged a protest on the ground that Rahui had p]£.yed Willie "Johnson, a senior piayer. The secretary, Mr. J. E. Fullarcon, produced team slips ,which showed that Johnson had played for Rahui seniors 011 three occasions at least. He had been informed by his club's senior coach that Johnson was classified as a senior, said Mr. A. Watt (Rahui) . The junior coach was in ignorance of this, otherwise Johnson would not have been used as a replacement during the game. The fact that he played for a portion of the game could not have affected the result. In reply to the chairman, Mr. R. L. Robinson, Mr. Watt said his club .had no objection to the game being awarded to Punahau. In accordance with the rules, the committee awarded the game to Punahau.

Referring to the fine of 5s imposed on his club at last week's meeting for handing a blank team s.ip to the referee, Mr. R. Cochrane (Awahau) explained that it was raining at the . time and the club captain had inadvertently , given the referee the incorrect s'ip. He fe'.t that the referee could have drawn the captain's atten'Lion to the1 fact and then the correct one would have been presented. The club had paid the fine, but he was of the opinion that referees could co-operate more readiiy with clubs in such matters. Mr. J. A. Zuppicich (referees' association) replied that as it was raining the referee had placed the slip in his jersey without looking at it,- and had not discovered the error until that night, otherwise he was sure the captain's attention would have been drawn to it.

The Horowhenua Power Board's Social Club was granted permission to use Rugby Park on the weekend of July 30 for a game with the Hutt Valley Power Board. ■ The action of the president and secretary in accepting an offer from the Wairoa union's juniors to play Horowhenua in this district on July. 30 was confLrmed. It was decided to play the game as a curtain-raiser to the Maori match between Wellington and Horowhe-nua-Bush-Wairarapa at Otaki on that da'te. The arrangement of accommodation for the Wairoa team was left in the hands of Mr. E. J.. Cook (Otaki). The Wanganui- union advised that September 3 was the only date on whicli its seniors could p^ay Horowhenua at Levin. As this is the day of the first test against Australia, "aifd'tlierb' will be" the game between the All Blacks and Horowhenua at Levin on the preceding Thursday, it was resolved to suggest that the game be held over until next season. The Kimihia Maori Football Club (Waikanae) forwasrded a list of its officers and applied for affiliation. As the majority of the club's players resided in the union's district, the request was granted. Mr. C. E. Wiseley (schools' 'delegate) remarked that the club would have to obtain the union's permission to play any games and also ensure that its players were registered.