RUGBY FOOTBALL

Hokitika Guardian, 16 May 1933, Page 2

RUGBY FOOTBALL

THE WESTLAND SUB-UNION

The Westland Rugby Sub-Union met last evening, when Mr J. C. Stafford presided.

An application to be regraded to junior . was received from A. Stevenson, but the motion was lost on the casting vote of the chairman.

A similar application by J. O’Oonncr was held ..over for a week. The West Coast Union advised that the Sub-Union ivas not entitled to a delegate on the management committee but only on the general committee.

It ivas decided that Mr T. P. Ryan be asked to act as the Sub-Union’s delegate on the West Coast Union. The folloAving is the draw for matches on Saturday:—'Senior, Excelsior v. Ross,, at Cass 'Square, 3 p.m. No. 1 ground (A. Cutbush); Kiivi v. Pirates, 3 p.m., No. 2 ground (R. Collett). Juniors, Pirates v. Khvi, at Rimu, 3 p.m. (J. Butland); School v. Kokatalii, at Gass Square, 1.30 p.m. (F. Carter) ; Ross v. Excelsior, at Ross, 3 p.m. (J. McCleary).

GAMES ADVANCE IN CALIFORNIA

KEENNESS OF EX-ALL BLACK

A very interesting letter lias been received by Mr G. H, MasOn, an expresident of the Neiv Zealand Rugby Union and-manager of the All Black teanvnwhieh toured in California and British Columbia in 1913, The writer is Mr J. T. Wylie,, a member of that New Zealand team and. formerly of Rotorua and Auckland. He is noiv residing at San Jose, California, and is taking a keen interest in the Rugby game.

“We hai’e the old game going here and we hoav have two Rugby Unions organised.” ivrites Mr Wylie. “The Northern California Union has its headquarters in San Francisco and Mr H. Maloney of Stanford University, is president. This union has the following teams playing a regular schedule of matches:—Stanford and California Universities, the Olympic, Barbarian, San Francisco, San Jose and Wanderers Clubs, the fatter from Oakland. The teams.'are fairly evenly matched and some fine, gapies-. have been .played.

“In J-os Angeles ; the Southern California Union, has five or six , clubs organsied and all are going; strong; The clubs. from the : south .come up,here and ,play .inter-section ,nmtches, Pasadena being the; [first visitor this .season. I have been coaching the Stanford Uni'wersity 'team and, it shows much prp-, [noise, ( h<aving beaten the Barbarian, Olympic, and San Jose teams.” - - , The ,ex-All. Black states that the American game has lost,; its grip on the Pacific Coast. The high-salaried coaches Avith the enormous stadiums Avill not draAV crowds at the big entrance prices. The people are crying out for the return, cf Rugby arid the result is the formation of tAvo well-organised unions able to" stage prunes at admission prices of .50 cents arid 25 cents. Although .well up in yenrs, 'Mr Wylie played regularly in Canada in 19?8 and he still turns out nightly Avith tlm Stanford University team. • He has lavo children, a girl of eleven 'and a boy of nine. He thinks the last-named is going to make a fine Rugby player already being able to kick a ball and tackle Avell.

It Avould appear from the tone of the letter that Rugby is making great vstrides again on the Pacific Coast. Should the standard warrant it, and if further apposition is required for the American game of football, it may transpire that another All Black team Avill be invited to tour in California and British Columbia.