THE RANFURLY SHIELD

Evening Star, Issue 22442, 12 September 1936, Page 11

THE RANFURLY SHIELD

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Rugby supporters up here are very disappointed that Hawke’s Bay is not to have a match for the RanI'urly Shield this season. They note that the chief reason advanced by the Otago Rugby Union for not agreeing to the match is that as there have been several mid-week matches already it would not bo right to ask the employers to let the players off work any more. We in Hawke’s Bay cannot understand this reasoning; in fact, v;e do not feel that it is common sense. We felt sure that Dunedin business men would be only too ready to let 15 men off work, and thereby reap the benefit from the influx of the thousands of visitors coming into your city to see each shield match. During the long period in which Hawke’s Bay held the shield the motto was: “Lot ’em all come.”—l am, etc., Bavite. Napier, September 9. TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—Your leaderette in the ‘ Star ’ of 9tlr inst has much to commend it, especially so as regards special challenge matches. It is surely the fact that there is much room for abuse under such challenge methods. Hawke’s Bay supplies a typical instance. That province had the same opportunities as the others to get in an early challenge, but would not definitely commit itself. It preferred to “ wait and see.” Your advice to the Otago Union is that it should meet Hawke’s Bay. There are very many of your readers who entirely disagree with your views. The. New Zealand Union lias laid it down that no matches shall be played after September 30—a very good tiling, too, because cricket clubs are looking forward to ■ the preparation of wickets for the season now at hand.

Unfortunately these Ranfurly Shield matches have tended very much to breed bad feeling between, the provinces, and the cry of North Island v. South Island is heard in the land. North is North and South is South, and never the twain shall meet in friendly spirit. That feeling ' i’s kept' alive by Press writers of the class of Mr N. A. M'Kenzie. He seems to have a personal grouch against everything south of Cook Strait—Otago particularly. Of course, unless such writers stir up strife they become nonentities. Otago is jeered at as “ non-sporting.” Next season Otago will go on tour, and according to one of your correspondents will probably lose the shield, which he thinks wil!_ accompany the team. The trophy will not be taken on tour. Wellington and Southland chose to do so some years ago—to their sorrow. Hawke’s Bay held the shield for several years in succession. Did that province hawk it about? No.. I recall Otago defeating Hawke’s Bay badly, but Hawke’s Bay did not offer to make it a shield match. Because Wellington and Southland hawked the shield about, any province not doing so now, or in future, is of no class. It is time the New Zealand Union exercised its own rules, which lay down that the holder can defend all challenges on its own grounds—and incidentally save the hurling of insults. —I am, etc., Zebra. September 11.