SENIOR B GRADE DELETED

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 152, 23 March 1939, Page 13

SENIOR B GRADE DELETED

Rugby Competition Reorganized

STRONG OPPOSITION FROM SEVERAL CLUBS tn the face of strong opposition from a number of clubs, the Wellington Rugby Union at its annual meeting last night decided to reorganize the senior competition. The senior B grade is to be deleted aud the senior grade to consist of two divisions, the first of 12 teams and the second of up to 10 teams. The winning team in the second division may gain promotion to the first at the end of one.season by beating the lowest first division team in a match to be played at the end of the same season.

A proposal by the retiring management committee was introduced by the chairman, Mr. J. N. Millard, lie said that the present system when instituted was thought l>erfect. but it bad not proved so in practice. The standard of play had not been as good -as when the senior teams were unlimited. Keenness on the part of both players and public had fallen off toward the end of the competition because two teams were promoted for the second round. Whereas the gates used to be doubled in the second round, they bad fallen away. The proposal was to begin with 12 teams in the first division and halfway through the season begin a fresh competition for the lower,'six. The second division would be run in the same way. That would make more teams than at present, but it was proposed to cut out the senior B grade. With respect to promotion it was proposed that a team must win the second division for two seasons in succession and might then be called upon to piay the lowest team in the first division. Present System Rejected. Ou his suggestion a motion was taken as to whether the present system was satisfactory, this being lost by 21 votes to 34.

Mr. A. Hooper (Pirates) said the reason the finances had fallen off was that not sufficient attention was given the suburban clubs. Many players had threatened to leave his club if the union's proposal was carried, and the officials had intimated they were not prepared to carry on.

Mr. C. 11. Slater (Hutt) said the proposal was not for the betterment of senior football. It would seriously affect the younger clubs which were struggling to bring on their young players. There had been no complaint against the senior B competition. In fact the players in that grade deserved more consideration than •they received.

Mr. R. J. Morgan (Onslow) said the elub built a gymnasium.in 1932 at a cost of £lOOO and only £36 was now owing. The new scheme would lower the club’s ■hopes of reaching senior standard.

Johnsonville Claim. On behalf of the Johnsonville club, Mr. E. Peryman moved an amendment that each of the senior divisions consist of 10 teams. The present system, he said, was tiie best thing his club had ever had. The opportunity for young, virile clubs to fight their way to senior grade must be maintained. Mr. Millard said there were not 18 Saturdays available to carry out a full two rounds with 10 teams in each division. The amendment was lost, as was another moved by Mr. Cooper (Miramar) that two divisions eonsist_of 12 teams each in the first round, and three divisions of eight teams eaeh in the second round.

Mr. 11. B. Simmons (Oriental) moved that the first division under the management committee’s proposal consist of 12 teams and the second division of up to 10, and that promotion be gained after one season. The amendment was supported by Mr. A. P. O’Shea (University) aud carried by 32 votes to 22. An addition to the proposal was made on the motion of Mr. Gilbert (Technical Old Boys) extending it to provide promotion for the winning junior first division team, and the meeting rejected a motion by the Pirates elub delegates that the a senior B grade be retained and each senior competition comprise eight teams.