EAST COAST RUGBY UNION.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 897, 21 May 1903, Page 3

EAST COAST RUGBY UNION.

(Notes by “The Whistle.”* liven one mi tins side of the Island ,■ ~,,,01 fad to have marvelled at the iriT'-ress which has been made on the I • ■ I'o.ist. From Hicks Bay l ° qv ttlenient has proceeded of •,-eeent years at a Wtuulcnul pace, livery year fresh country is being opened up, ami as a natural etmse(iitenee the population on liie coast is rapidly increasing. The onwaitl march is particularly noticeable m the growth of the townships. J no latest sign of progress is the activity which is being manifested by the athletic clubs of the district. Hyeryone is delighted to hear mat lootbali clubs have been formed at To,ago ToUomant, Waipiro and Tuparoa, ami the movement which lias been enthusiastically taken up to form an ba-i Coast. Rugby Union to manage and control the game on the .toast, is very Pleasing new, to lovers c{ .tot,

game here. Willi four senior club::, lire East Coast Union would lie as silting in I lie number of alii,haled (liibs as is ifie I'overt;. Bay Union. The greatest drawback Ibe game has hull in Ibis district in past seasons has linen I lie isolation of tin; place from the outside world and ihe search yof big mat elms. No one will gainsay (lie me I that j had Poverty Bay been aide lo meet Auckland and Wellington as fre(|uenfly as Taranaki lias done, we would have borne as high ;■ repul ufiou on the football

lii'ld its I lie I,mmi on l hi; iiUiit side oi l In; island enjoys. 'riii formation ni' Mu l.nsi Coast liu"hy Union will live liic loiitl Union it rival si.l. its very (lours, and tin cninpbt.ition cnj'cndcrcd will quicken tin; liic oi both noilins and Liu; increased number oi iii;mulches will make for improvement in the standard of play. Ulial was it, that placed Auckland on Hie summit of New Zealand football ? Nothin", I take it, Inti rivalry with I lie Thames. Tin; wholesome ilniiibiuys meted out lo Auckland by the repn .sell tali ’.lS of liic liillc iiiiiuii" lowi: hud the salulory efirel ol causin'.;- Auckland lo strain every nerve in in (alien vor I o'improve tiu-ir play, ind regain .nip]emary. And so, lei u . hope, will be the ev.sj In re. Whe--111 i tb" Kasi (toiL.il Union decides lo alliliiite direM, with the New Zeal and Union, and stand by itself, or become it sun-Uuion of Coven y Hay (as Hie Thames is of Auckland), is a matter for i lien: to decide. In any case, v.'e welcome I heir advent, and wish them the "reale.,t .success, knowinj; thai Hie ..t ronujer they prove themselves to be and i In- oflcnei' I bey defeat our repn sen I a lives, the heller it will be lor l.iie "(line in I his district. As evidencing the interest which is lieiny; taken in fool ball on I lie Coast, Iwo trophies have aliuady be: ii oli'ered by gentlemen who lake a keen inlcre-s! in (lie game, for com-

(a til ion among tiie clubs. Mr Puttie, vice-president of the Waipiro Club, offers one trophy. The Rev. O. Fitzgerald, whose name is a household word among Rugby font bailors in the North island, and wiio is now settled on the Coast, oilers the other trophy. 'llu; Rev. Fitzgerald was- a jooiniiienl Rugby player in his day, and represented Iho West Coast against llie famous English combination in I.SSh. lie also represented Wanganui jn its palmy days, and acini as lion, secretary for the Wanganui Rugby Union for several seasons, i and Was also a prominent member of ( its representative liiieen during the i season it went through without losing a match. While in Wellington, the Rev. Mr Fitzgerald formed a parish club, which he coached, and entered for the fourth-class compel ii ion miller (lie Wellington Union, 'flic rev. gentleman’s leant carried off Ihe

competition with (lying colors, scoring seventy odd points lo iioUi;iig recorded against them, and next season I lie same I earn won the thirdclass competition, iiy li7 points to 17 against. Mr Fitzgerald is as keen on the game 10-ilay as when lie howled Speakniaii, Stoililart, Bimitiy, and Nolan over like ninepins in BSSM. The East Coast Union is fortunate in having at ils liirt li such a “guide, philosopher, and friend.” Tiie East, Coast men have, on Iho cricket field, proved of what stuff they are made, and Ihe drubbings they have occasionally given us lias done our men a world of good. We ucl sure they will give as good an account of themselves on tiie football held, and, come victory or defeat they will play the game like tho sportsmen they have ever proved themselves lo be.