FOOTBALL

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3663, 9 July 1927, Page 4

FOOTBALL

OTAKI CLUB CALLED TO TASK,

The failure of the Otaki senior team to turn up in time to play County on June 25th was considered at the weekly meeting of the Horowhenua Rugby Union this week, after the reading of two let-, tors on the subject. Mr. J. Sciascia, the referee appointed for the match, wrote stating that, after waiting 20 minutes for Otaki, he awarded the match to County. Mr. ,P. 11. Rhodes, secretary of the Otaki Club, in a letter explaining that team’s side of the question, said that, owing to their being a few minutes late, the County team kicked off and claimed the match, though they knew that the Otaki players were in the vicinity. “We in Otaki,” he went on, “deprecate the unsportsmanlike attitude of the County team in so doing. One of our team comes from Paekakariki and three others come from 10 miles up the Gorge. It is usual, I believe, to extend consideration to teams having to travel, and to players ctpring such long distances. The County team might well have given this consideration. Which is the more important —to win the match or to play the game! The cost of the team amounted to £2 Ids from Otaki to Weraroa, and on top of this many players had preliminary, expenses to Otaki. We shall be pleased to hear if the County team will re-eonsider its attitude and play our team at Otaki at some future date.” Mr. Anderson said lie objected to the wording of the letter, ill its reference to an “unsportsmanlike action." The County team had nothing to do with the forfeit at all. The County players were on the ground for close on half an hour. The referee blew the whistle and told them to kick off. When they went back to the hotel they found that the Otaki players were still there. Mr. Anderson added that: lie must protest absolutely against 1 lie wording of the Otaki letter, Mr. Robinson supported the protest, and stated that the Otaki bus arrived about live minutes to three. He left the ground about three o’clock and walked to the hotel, and lie found that some of the players were in the car and a number of them were round the bar. The Otaki players could easily have been on the ground 10 minutes past three.

Members concurred in the opinion that the Otaki Cut) was not justified iii using the terms to which exception had been taken.

On the motion of Mr. Robinson, seconded by Mr. Austin, the secretary was instructed to write to the Otaki Club and explain that there was nothing unsportsmanlike about, the action of the County team.