VENUE OF RUGBY GAMES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 126, 14 June 1937, Page 6

VENUE OF RUGBY GAMES

Three Matches For Hastings On Saturday C0MMENCEMENT TIMES One of the subjects to be di'ocussedat the meeting of the Hastings Rhgby Football Sub-Unioa this evening will be the allocatlon of grounds and time of playing for the three matches m Hastings next Saturday afternoon. Two Napier teams, Pirates and Napier H.S.O.B., are due to jotifney to Hastings, and it is proposed that they play their games against Hastings and Hastings H.S.O.B. respectivejy 'at 2.45 o 'clock, with M.A.C. and Celtie meeting in the early afternoon. On recent form, however, the H.A.C.-Celtic game appears to be one of the big games 5f the round and is sure to atttact s great cfowd. Under the circuttistanees it -Iihn beCn suggested that this game be played in the late afternoon in the place of one of the other two matches at Nelson Park. The thjrd game could then be playSd at the High School. In this manner all games would be played in the late afternoon, ensurihg that there will be full flfteenS flelded. One of the- difficulties attached to' this proposal is the lack of hot water facilities at the school ground. To Overcome this it is suggested that the sub-union provide a speeial conveyance for the teams to enable them to make iise of the Nelson Park facilities after their game. The small cost involved, it is contended, wduld be more than compensated for by the increased gfttetakihgs that the Celtic-M.A.C. gttine would bring about if played in the late afternoon, -especially as next Saturday is race day in Hastings. Another alternative is that - one of the three games be played at Napier, the Hawke 's Bay Rugby Union, or the sub-union, paying the cost of transporting the Hastings team into Napier. This would then give each town two games. The playing of early matches in the afternoon is never desired by the clubs, for it has been found that fhll teams, let alone full-strength teams, are-rare-, ly flelded at the start, owing to a nuinber of playerg being tmable to iinish ivork early enough, or through having - to travel some distance into town, This is a big factor with M.A.C., the majority of • whoSe players live out of town, some having to make joumeys of over 15 miles each afternoon.