RUGBY FOOTBALL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 152, 22 March 1919, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL

PROSPECTS FOR THE SEASON

INCREASE IN NUMBER OF CLUBS

INTERESTING YEAR ANTICIPATED

With the approach of cooler weather footballers generally are eagerly looking forward to the opening of the season, and. it is probablo that tho. Wellington Rugby football Union will begin its championship mutches in all grades 011 tho. first Saturday in May. Although the union will hold its annual meeting this year earlier than usual, it is doubtful, owing to tho lateness of Easter, whether club matches-can be commenced before May. A 6eve 11-u-sido tournament will very likely take place on the last Saturday in April. The 1918 season was a very successful one in' Wellington, but it is anticipated that the coming season will be even better. Most of last year's players will again participate in the competitions, and the younger players will have tho benefit of their experience in 1918. New Zealand soldiers abroad have played plenty of football, and some of the great players mar be back in tune to take part in the 1919. Wellington Senior Championship. ' A great deal depends, of course, upon the rapidity with which the work of demobilisation is carried' out. • Sixteen clubs were affiliated to the union last year, and there is a possibilitv that befpro the coimne season gets' under way this number will bo increased to about '20. prist Old Boys Club has been revived, and they will enter a team for the junior championship. Tramways also contemplate the formation of a team. A bi? increase in the number of teams is anticipated, and very nossibly the fourth grade competition will be reinstated in the unions programme. Present indications are that there will be no Wednesday football. Strength of the Clubs. As regards the clubs individually, Poneke, who won the 1918 championship, and Tetone will very likely be m a position to put' the strongest senior teams.into the field. Poneke have gottogether nractically all then 1 last years firat fifteen. Before the season, terminates Athletic are almost certain to have a solid senior combination. .Hiev will again have the services of E. .Roberts, the clever half-back, whp last year played for Trentham A. Oriental promise to have <a lot of Rood material id the lower grades. Unfortunately, a number of their last year's senior players have since been transferred from Wellington, and this will necessitate the introduction of new faces into the senior grade. It. is believed, however, that a fairly good team will be obtainable. Selwyn may bo a team to bo reckoned with this season, and Wellington may help to make matters interest" ing. • Packer, who played iii the threequarter position for Trentham A in 1918, may join Wellington's activo ranks. L. R. Brooks, the Trentham A team s winger, lias joined tho Wellington Club, but it is not known for certain whether, he will don the jersey in May. University and Old Boys will flgain be in evidence. When the reinforcements for the N.Z.E.F:. were in training at Trentham, the soldiers possessed two rather good teams in Trentham A and lrentham B. Sinco the signing of the armistice, however, the men who composed last year's,teams havo scattered for and wide, and it is improbable that lrentham will take. part in the seasons matches. More Representative Games. In view of the almost certain resumption of Eanfurly . Shield games, which wero suspended during tho war, it is probable that more ropresentativo matches will be played in Wellington this season than last year. 'I here is a feeling that.-the rules for Eanfurly. Shield contests should be altered on the lines of the'Plunket Shield (tho New Zealand Cricket Championship), so that challenge matches * could tako place 011 tho challenger's aa well as the holders grounds. Owing to the superiority oi North Island football in the past. Southern unions have had no chance of taiing part in Eanfurly Shield matches 011 their own grounds. Wellington liohl the shield at present, but tho suggestion that the rules should be amended on tlie lines mentioned, although it is mado locally, is a, roost disinterested one, and will 110 doubt give great satisfaction to the southern unions. _ Tho grounds question is looming large in the public-eye just now in view of the forthcoming municipal elections, and the'matter is one .in which the Wellington Rugby Union, in common with other sports botlios, is\concerned. Last season no difficulty' was experienced in finding sufficient grounds for all games, but with the expected substantial - increase in the number of. competing teams this year, further playing.areas may be required. In this connection, the Rugby Union has notified its intention to join •in the movement inaugurated by , tho Sports Protection League urging that additional grounds for sporting purposes should be provided in Wellington. One of the matters to be discussed at the annual meeting of the union next Thursday will be the vexed question of "amended" rules. At their annual meetings several clubs have expressed a desire that amendments should be made to "the rules of the gamo with the object, of improving the standard of play, provided, of course, that this will not entail separation from the English Bugby Football Union., It would appear that thero is nolhing to provent tho Wellington Union from adopting amended' rules for local championship matches—this is dono.in Auckland—and yet refrain- from carrying the' innovations into effect in inter-provincial matches. Perhaps tho best way to HseWlo the controversy once and for all would bo to give the suggested amended rules a trial in inlcr-club competitions for a season. Chairmanship of Union. Since the very . regrettable death of Mr. D, D. Weir during tho influenza epidemic last year, the position of chairman of .tho Management .Committee of tho Wellington Eugby .Football' Union 'has.'been, vacant, and tho question of who- should be selected to fill tho place of Mr. Weir is causing sorno anxiety. 'Naturallyj' the wholo subject of the appointment of an executive authority is one.for tho decision.of delegates at tho annual meeting, hut Mr. J. N. Millard and Mr.' W. F. H'ornig are freely mentioned as being gentlemen eminently fitted to hold tho position of chairman of the Executive Committee. As Mr. Millard is unlikely to accept nomination for tho chairmanship owing to inability to spare the necessary time for tho great amount of work which tho office carries, the election of Mr. H'ornig would give unqualified pleasure and satisfaction to footballers generally, as he is an old member of the -union and one of its best administrators.

The composition of the Management Committee will no doubt be altered considerably at the annual meoting, as there seems to bo a disinclination on the part of several old membors to consent to re-election, Mr. ,T. T. Pike, who until his recent transfer to Wellington was treasurer of the Canterbury Union, has been elected a delegate to the union bv the Athletic Club, with whioh hp has thrown In his lot, and be may bo elected to the Management Committee. The hope ia oppressed in many qnarters that the incoming executive will not fail to attend to the interests of the junior players, and that they will be eibl_e_ to d'ovote a little of thedr timo to visiting the outlying grounds on Saturday afternoons for the purpose of seeing that the needs of tho junior and lowergrade players in the way of dressingsheds, improved playing areas, etc., aro not overlooked.

In respect to the fleferops' Association, it is suggested that an effort should he made to put that body on a better footing this season. With tho object of giving younger referees an opportunity of discussing the various aspects of the week-end matohes, it is considered that rftsiikr meetings of the association should be held thronghont th» winter. Wer® this done, it Is olaimed that the membertab of tJw cssoolatkn would

show an appreciable increase, and that no difficulty would ho encountered in obtaining referees for tho largo number of matelies each Saturday.