Meeting Of Rugby Union's Executive

Chronicle (Levin), 8 September 1949, Page 4

Meeting Of Rugby Union's Executive

The rugby highlight this week will be the Nsenior representative game at Foxton between Bush and Horowhenua. • The Foxton Silver Band will be in attendance and Foxton is out to make the day a really outstanding one, this being the first representative fixture l^eld there for some time. The arrangements for the match were discussed at Tuesday night'smeeting of the Horowhenua Rugby Union's management committee. ,Some difficulty arose in regard to a curtain-raiser as Punahau, due for a home game, is not keen on travelling to Foxton for its match against Awahau. This was a game v/hich would have a bearing on the junior championship and players and supporters were looking forward to seeing it staged in Levin, said the Punahau delegate, Mr. J. C. Macdonald. A recent meeting of the club had expressed this opinion and he would not like to alter it, he added. The president, Mr. R. L. Robinson, said that if Punahau would agree to the match being played at Foxton it would see the union "out of a spot." In view of the circumstances, however, he would move frcm the chair that the game be played at Foxton, as it would be in the best interests of football generally. The union, he added, would compensate the club by paying - for a bus to travel there.

It was decided that the curtainraiser be played at 12.45 p.m. and the main game at 2.15 p.m. in order that farmers might be able to see the g#mes and still get home in good time. The bus to take the sehiors will leave Otaki at 12.30 and Levin at 1 p.m. If no bus is obtainable at Otaki a bus will be arranged to leave Levin at 1 p.m. The manager of the Horowhenua team will be Mr. D. Oliver and managers for the visitors will be Messrs. Johnston and L. Mattar, of Foxton. Rahui's Appeal Case. The minutes of the last New Zealand Rugby Union meeting were received, in which dt "was stated that Rahui's appeal through the Horowhenua union againsfc the ruling of a referee, Mr. J. J. McDonaffi, had been considered. Rahui had complained that McDonald had disallowed a goal after it had been awarded by him. The referee on the other . hand had denied blowing the whistle or awarding the goal, and the appeal committee had ruled that as it was a question of fact the referee would be upheld.

Third Grade Reps. Mr. A. V. Morgan, manager of the Horowhenua third grade representative team which partici-' pated in the curtain-raiser to the Australia,-New Zealand game on Saturday reported on the trip. He ,sdid-"thbt aithough the team had lost 17 — 6 it had been a good exhibition and the boys had behaved very well. Mr. Juno, the coach, was to be complimented on the standard of the team. It was a pleasure, he added, to -have travelled with the team. The president, Mr. R. L. Robinson, said that the gahie musb have been a good one. Mr. D. Oliver said the local team had been up against odds. The opposing team was heavier and had more pace. The Kimihia Football Club, Waikanae, wrote asking for the loan of a set of jerseys for a game with a Wellington team on 'September 11. The request was granted, it being stated that this new club was affiliated to , the union. The Manawatu Rugby Union wrote advising that senior and junior seven-a-side tournaments were planned for Palmerston North on September 10 and invited Horowhenua to participate. ' The secretary, Mr. J. E. Fuliarcon, said that entries closed on Thursday and that the invitation was too^ late in arriving to notify clubs. Adviee was received from the New Zealand Rugby Union that nominations would be received for the North v. South Island match closing not later than Sepiember 17. The sole selector, Mr. D. Oliver, said there were some local players worthy of consideration and he thought that the union should take' advantage of the invitation. The president said Thursday's gdjme had shown there were players,- particularly in the back of the scrum, who were as good as any. The matter was left to Mr. Oliver. President Thanks Helpers. The thanks of the Union was conveyed to all those who had assisted in making last Thursday's New Zealand Trial game a success, by Mr. Robinson, who said that the visitors were ,very pleased with the arrangements. He had also heard much coinment from spectators on the way the game was controlled and the excellence of the arrangements. Among those mentioned by Mr. Robinson as worthy of special thanks were the Mayor, Mr. H. B. Burdekin, management of the Regent Theatre, the Horowhenua A. and P. Association, Levin Racing Club, the Levin Borough Council and staff, Mr. E. J. Stanley of the Boys' Traiiiing Centre, the traffic inspector, A.A. officer and police. Mention was also made of the marking out of the ground, which the referee, Mr. C. E. Wiseley, stated was the best he had seen. For this thanks, were due to Mr. J. Rose. ' . In conclusion, the president said that he hoped he had nob missed anyone. He also extended thanks to "The Chronicle" for the amount of publicity given the event and also the public for its 1 support.