INTERPROVINCIAL RUGBY

Evening Star, Issue 23381, 26 September 1939, Page 4

INTERPROVINCIAL RUGBY

ORIGINAL DATE ADHERED TO OTAGO-SOUTHLAND MATCH O.R.F.U. MAHAGEMEHT COMMITTEE Further discussion took place at last night’s meeting of the Management Committee of the Otago Rugby Football Union concerning a suggestion to postpone the Otago-Southland game until October 7, but it was pointed out that relatively few players were affected by the All Black trials, and a decision was reached that the game be played on Saturday as arranged. The president (Mr D. C. Jolly) was in the chair. The secretary (Sir K. S. Wilson) said that a telegram had been received from Mr D. M. Spedding on Friday from Wellington that D. E. Murray and W. H Jolly (Otago) and at least five Southland players were remaining in Wellington for the trials for the full week, a suggestion being made that the game be postponed until October 7. Mr D. M. Spedding said that when the players were assembled in Wellington it was ascertained who would be remaining for the week. Several signified that they would not he remaining, and Mr Spedding said he pointed out that Otago and Southland had written in asking for their players to be released if possible for the interprovincial game on Saturday. The council of the New Zealand Rugby Union seemed to think it was not very fair on their part to ask for it, as New Zealand came first. They seemed to think that the Otago and Southland players might be brought back against their wishes. The players and the selectors had then been brought together, and had been informed that the idea of a tour of South Africa had not been abandoned, that in the event of hostilities being over by the_ end of the year the tour would be carried out. Finally, it was found that the players remaining would be Murray and Jolly (Otago) and Herron, Sherriff, Grace, and Sutherland (Southland). Mr J. B. Wootton asked where the suggestion of postponing_ Saturday’s match originated. Was it the New Zealand Union or tho Southland Union ?

Mr Spedding said that the council had brought the matter up. He informed them that the question had been discussed, and that the proposed postponement had not been considered suitable.

The Secretary said advice had been received from the Southland Rugby Union that the Southland team would arrive on Friday night and would leave on Sunday night. Mr H. Harris moved that the OtagoSouthland match be played on Saturday ■as arranged. The matter had been considered before, and, while they had approached the New Zealand Union to release players, they were aware that some of the players would still bo called upon to take part in the trials. The match was not a Ranfurly Shield game, and, taking all the circumstances into consideration, he thought tho game should bo played on the date already fixed.

“ We’ve been too lenient in our fixtures with Southland,” said Mr J. B. Wootton, in seconding the motion, “ we hand them the best end of the stick all the time.” He thought Southland could have made the game a Ranfurly Shield match had they desired to do so. The Secretary said that tho Railway Department would be put to a great deal of expense and inconvenience if the date were altered.

The President said he objected to the Rugby Council interfering with Otago’s arrangements. Mr Spedding said the council was not interfering—it was merely a suggestion.

Mr V. G. Cavanagh said that this was one of the home and home matches, and it was unfortunate that these men were away, but in the ordinary course of events the game would have been played on the original date. Mr Gibbons said that only six men were not available altogether. He did not think it would make much difference.

Mr I. Grant said that Ranfurly Shield matches were played while the New Zealand team was in Australia. Mr A. H. Cameron pointed out that Otago had not made application for a Ranfurly Shield match with Southland —he thought Mr Wootton’s remarks were uncalled for. Mr Harris’s motion was carried. At a later stage in the meeting Mr Spedding reported that he had- had a telephone communication from Invercargill, and Southland stated that they desired the game to go on next Saturday. Southland would be able to put a good team in the field, and there would also be four bands from Southland.

FIFTH GRADE MATCHES. Mr S. A. Gibson, referee in the Southern-Union fifth grade mateh_ last Saturday, reported that only five Union players were present and Union had defaulted to Southern. —The match was awarded to Southern, and it was decided to write to the Union Club asking it for nn explanation. It was decided to replay the filth grade match between Green Island and Dunedin, which was won by Green Island by 3 points to 0, because each team had offended in playing a youth who was not eligible. The Secretary’ of the Green Island Club wrote entering a protest on behalf of the Green Island fifth grade team against Kaikorai for playing a youth who was not eligible to play fifth grade.-—lt was decided to ask the Kaikorai Club for an explanation. PUTTING BALL IN SCRUM. Reporting concerning the trial that had been given the practice of referees putting the ball in the scrum, Mr Hayes'said this bad been followed in the subsidiary competition in which three rounds had been played, and 12 referees bad officiated, including the five named for representative games. A discussion had taken place at the referees’ meeting on Saturday night, and it was the unanimous opinion that it was a step in the right direction for the referee to put the ball in the scrum. Old members who bad seen {be games in the subsidiary competition agreed that scrum infringements were cut down by half and that it was d definite improvement for referees to put the ball into the scrum.

Mr Gibbons said that the general opinion of players seemed to be that they supported it.

Mr Harris said that the matter had been discussed at* the Imperial Conference, and the only reason that was ■given against the referee putting the ball into the scrum was that it was putting too much work on the referees. He suggested that the matter should be brought before the annual meeting of the New Zealand Union to see if they could get a dispensation to enable the referees to put the ball into the scrum in their grade matches. It was decided that the clubs first be written to and asked for an expression of opinion on the referee putting the ball into the scrum. FLAG COMMITTEE. The Flag Committee recommended that the third grade section 2 competition be closed and Taicri declared the winners, and that the fifth grade section 2 be closed and Zingari-Richmond declared the winners. The recommendations were adopted, and it was decided to write to the Taieri and Zingari-Richmond Clubs congratulating it on the success of its teams. The Flag Committee _ also reported that the only competition to be completed was the fifth grade section 1. Southern were the leaders in this competition, and the only match to be played was the replay between Green Island and Dunedin, which was to be held on Saturday. SATURDAY’S FIXTURES. Otago v. Southland, at Carisbrook, at 3. Referee, Mr G. Lewis. Line umpires, Messrs J. M. Briggs and F. Swete. Otago fourth grade representatives v. South Otago third grade representatives, at Carisbrook, at 12. Referee. Mr L. Millar. Otago Referees v. Southland Referees, at Carisbrook, at 1.30. Referee, Mr J. Simon. Fifth Grade.—Dunedin v. Green Island, at Bathgate Park No. 2, at 1.30. Referee, Mr J. G. Henderson. Other Matches.—r Training College v. Balclutha, 'at Bathgate Park, at 1.30., Referee,. Mr J. Simon. Zingari-Richmond v. Matakanui, at Montecillo, at 1.30. Referee to be appointed.

OTAGO TEAM The following players have , been selected to represent Otago in the match against Southland : Full-back: R. Silver (Union). Three-quarters: W. A. Black (Southern), N. ,A. Mitchell (Alhambra), L. Werner (Union). Five-eighths:: D. Trcvathan (Southern). W. T. Perriam (Pirates). Half-back: L. Simpson (University). Forwards: Front row—P. Treacy (Dunedin), C. Quaid (Southern), 6. M'Donald (Southern) ; locks—L. Hill (Southern), F. Vorrath (Union, captain) ; supports—R. Nieper (Southern), W. M'Clelland (Tuapeka); back row, A. A. Parkhill (Pirates). Emergencies: Backs—P. A. Ongley (Pirates). W. Campbell (Pirates), A. A. Churchill (Southern) ; forwards—T. Graham (Pirates). L. Naylor (Alhambra). J. Barron (Taieri). The players will meet for practice at Carisbrook at 5 to-day and on Thursday.