FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5118, 27 April 1927, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE; SENIORS : >Vest 3, v. City (Te Arolia). 3. Kerepeehi 6, v. Plains West 3. Turua 12, v. Waitakaruru 5. JUNIORS: West 9, v. City (Te Arolia) 6. Kerepeehi 3, v. Plains West 3. Turua 9, v. Waitakaruru 0. ► LAST SATURDAYS GAMES. VISIT OF TE ARiOHA TEAMS. There was only a moderate attendance. of the public at the local domain on Saturday afternoon to witness the thr.eo games of Rugby foot--ball. The weather was fine, but the playing fields were hard and roug.n. The principal attraction was West seniors v. City, a Te Aroha team. The. game, although willing enough, was very disappointing. Considering that the visiting team had already played several matches this season, it put U P a very poor showing. The home side took the field with eleven players only, but finished up uiith a full team. Although it is too early in the season to expect very much, the want of training was apparent. One of the brightest spots in the home team was the play of J. Conolly. This young player had played a (hard game in the junior match, and scored a try for his side. Then, when it was found that the senior team was short, Conolly again took the field and scored the only try West gained in the game. At “"half-time there was no score, but soon after opening in the third quarter Conolly snapped up the ball in the loose and dived oven the line. R Swann failed to convert. In the last quarter City rallied a. little, and in a loose rush J. Ridde.ll got over. Bidois failed to add the extra points, and the game ended three-all. Mr N. King, Te Aroha. was referee. WEST JUNIORS V. CITY. As a curtain-raiser to the senior match the West juniors played City (Te Aroha) juniors. The game.wa* fast and open, but both sides lacked combination. The ho,me team defeated the visitors by 9 points to 5. For. West tries were registered by J. Conolly, T. Wickliffe, and L. Carrick. E. Stewart scored and converted a. try for city. Mr T. C. Arnold was referee. EAST CLUB GAME. The East seniors and juniors combined and played a practice match on the No. 2 ground, the senior forwards and junior backs playing the junior forwards and senior backs. Considering the unequal sides, a really good game resulted in the senior forwards scoring nine points to the eight secured by the junior forwards. For the •senior forwards Radford, S. Williams, and H. Wilton scored tries, and for the junior forwards J. Goonaii scored a try which was converted by F. Pol- . lard, who also kicked a. good penalty goal. Mr J. M. Crosby was referee. HAURAKI PLAINS MATCHES. OPENING OF SEASON. The Rugby football opened on the Hauraki. Plains on Saturday ~ last, when the first matches of the club competitions were played. Fine weather prevailed at Waitakaruru, but at Patetonga the second half of the matches were played in light rain, which was sufficient to affect the game. For the first matches of the season the standard of play was promising. The previous Saturday being a holiday, many of the teams had not had any practice, and some of them were picked as the players arrived on the field. Thus there was no combination of any consequence, and many of the players were unfit for a. hard game. The West club played Kerepeehi on a new ground alongside the Patetpnga Hall, and the Waitakaruru club played Turua on a new ground in Mr R. T. Williams’ farm. All of the fields were somewhat rough, and could do with improvement. The. West club will play z alternately at Patetonga and Kaibere. The Kerepeehi senior team proved the better at Pate.tonga, and was on the offensive practically throughout the game. T. Foote scored a. try for West a few moments after the. kickoff, and Parata evened the score in the. same spell. Smart added the winning points for Kerepeehi in the second half. In the junior match P. Reti scored for Kerepeehi and W. Hubbard kicked a penalty goal for West. MEETING AT NGATEA. A meeting of the delegates comprising the Hauraki Plains Rugby Union was held at Ngatea on Friday evening, Mr P. R. Henry presiding over the following: Messrs C. S. Foster, C. Bertelsen, K. Fox, W. Thompson, C. N. iG’Loughlin, A. H. McClean, H. L. Berney E. Walton, E. A. Mahoney, and W.’ Wylde (hon. secretary). CLUB BOUNDARIES. A letter was received from the Turua club conveying a resolution protesting against the action of the union in handing over Turua territory to the Kerepeehi club. Notice of motion was given by Mr Henry that the resolution deleting certain territory from the Turua area be rescinded* and that the old boundary of the Turua club be restored. SENIOR SELECTORS. At the previous meeting three men . had been appointed to act as selectors of the senior representatives. 'However, these men had signified that A they were not prepared to act, and it was therefore necessary to make other appointments. Mr Thompson moved, and Mr O’Loughlin seconded, that Constable Devereaux be one of the selectors. Mr H. L. Louch was nominated by Messrs. Mahoney and Bertelson and Mr R. H- Cameron by Messrs Henry and Fox, and as no others were nom- ' inated they were declared appointed. THAMES VALLEY UNION. Notification of the dale of the annual meeting of the Thames Valley

Rugby Union, and also the Referees’ Association, was received. It was pointed out that the matter requiring the closest attention by the delegates, Messrs Foster, Berney, and Madgwick, was the question of reducing the Poland Cup competition conditions to one round. The delegates were instructed to enter the junior representatives for the Sharebrokers’ Cup competition, and to endeavour to secure copies of the latest amendments to the laws of Rugby. REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES. The Thames Rugby Union wrote advising that challenges for the Birch Cup and the Johnston Cup (juniors) would be received up till May 31, and challenges for thfe Peace Cup up till July 31. It was decided that challenges be entered at once. SCHOOLS COMPETITION. The secretary asked for instructions regarding the conduct of the schoolboy competition for the Terrill Cup. After some discussion Mr Thompson promised to approach the schoolmasters in regard to assuming control. REGISTRATIONS. The Plains West club forwarded its annual affiliation fee and asked that 21 seniors and 20 juniors be. registered. The Turua club de.s’r d 22 seniors and 29 juniors registered, and the Kerepeehi club 15 seniors, and 24 juniors. It was agreed that laxity in the matter of registrations and the production of clearances by ne.w players would not be tolerated as in previous seasons. The secretary was instructed to report incidents coming under his notice, INSURANCE. The matter of insuring players against accident was discussed at length, and several possible schemes were mentioned. It was agreed that the committee which had the mutter* in hand should draw up a scheme and submit it to the clubs for their approval. CAPS, Mr Henry brought up the. question of providing the winners of the interclub competition with caps, and urged that a decision be made quickly. The idea was opposed, by Messrs McClean, Bertelsen. and O’Loughlin, who contended that the funds of the union could be better employed in fostering the game among the young players. It was decided that caps bo not provided. JUNIOR COMPETITION. As each of the clubs will have a junior team, the draw for this competition will be the same as for the senior grade.