RUGBY FOOTBALL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 178, 23 April 1919, Page 2

RUGBY FOOTBALL

* . POSITION OF PROFESSIONAL RULES ENGLISH UNION'S DECISION _: ii Tho Management Committee of thi Wellington Kugby Football Union .mo last evening, Mr. AV. I' 1 . Hornig pre Biding. i %4t its last annual meeting the Nov Zealand Rugby Union discussed the ques tion of reinstating certain players w'h< had played the Northern Union game Having no authority to alter its rule: covering professionalism the Dominioi body communicated the position to tin English Union, and several letters haYi passed between the two bodies. Tin latest communication conies from the sec retary (Mr. C. J. B. Marriott) of th< English Rugby Union, and a. copy wa: read at last evening's meeting of the Wellington Union. ' The letter is as follows:— "I beg to inform you • that a, special meeting of our full committee has Tieen held, at which the position of Northern Union players was considered. At thai meeting the views of your union wen careMly gone into. My committee decided that they cannot recommend to a general meeting of clubs any alteration iti the professional rules. I would point out that without the rules being altered they have not the right to dologats further powers of reinstatement to your union." The letter was formally received, but the whole matter, will no doubt come up for a full disoussion tit the forthcoming meeting of the Council of tho New Zealand Union, as this decision affects many soldiers who have played aide by side with professionals during the war. Club. Competitions, 15J19. A total of Gl team entries hare been received from the clubs in connection with the club competitions for 1919, as against ii for last year. The total is made up as follows (last year's figures being given in parentheses):—Senior, 9 (8); iunior, 8 (I); third olass, 12 (12); fourth class, U (0); fifth class, 11 (13); sixth class. 10 (7). Tho drawing for the senior competition, which commenocs on Saturday, May 3, resulted as follows :-Old Boys v. Wellington, No. 2,' Athletic Park; Ponekt v. Oriental, Duppa .Street; Athletic v. University, No. 1, Athletic. Park; Petoue V. Solwyn, at Petone; Hutt, a 'bye. The drawing for the junior and other grade competitions will not be availaWo till early next week. Seven-a-Sido Tourney. It was decided to make a charge ol sixpence to all players, taking part in the soven-a-sidc tournament. TVe entries for the tourney, which takes place on April 26, comprise sixteen for senior and sixteen for fifth grade. The draw for the ftEth grade Ksulteu as follows-.—Wellington College A v. Soots A; Scots B v. Hutt A; Poneke B i. Marist Bros. Old Boys; Oriental v. St. Patrick's College;! Petoue By. Selwvn; Hutt B v. Petoue A; Athletic v. Poneke A; Wellingtou College, B v. Berhampore. , Tho senior draw resulted as follows:--Hutt A v. Iteilway B; University B'v. Petone B; Hutt B v. University A; Athletic v. Wellington A: Salwyn A v. Poneke B; Selwyn B v. AVcllington B; Sfarist Old Boys v. Petone A; Oriental v. Poneke A. Quostion of Grounds. . In connection with tho union's application to the Hutt Borough Council tor use of the Hutt TJ-scroation Ground during the forthcoming season, a reply was received stating/that tho council'was prepared to grant tho use. of the ground and pavilion for the sum of .£35, payablo in ndvance, and on condition that at least one senior match in each round be plnyrd on the ground, and that one-third of tho gross gate receipts on these occasions bo paid-to the council. \ The. custodian of Hi" Becreation Ground «io decide \vt.ether the ground is-''fit for- play, and Hie union to be held responsible fdv any . jfimage done. • ...-.,; ' .'. " • .'. ■ \ Tt was sugsested: ; that;.rhe- grounds be not' accepted, biit-after a "short discussion - it was decided tn juvhoin't-*i. deputation to■'wait on the council, with n-vir-w to <-fcininin<r more reasonable cnncMsions. The position regarding the Petoue grounds, lias not been decided, and' the same deputation is to wait on the Petone Council also. It was decided to than* tho Oitv Cmmc l ' f->r the hvrlvo grounds it hnd granted the' union :for use during the forthcoming season'. -Ot>ep Busings. The application of the .TohnsonviMe rini-i 'or affiliation to t!ie union was ftpproved. Mv. W. .Donovan w<is granted leave of absence for f """ "••"•'-'•■