RUGBY FOOTBALL

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 184, 19 May 1939, Page 2

RUGBY FOOTBALL

KNOCK-OUT CUP FINAL FAST GAAIE EXPECTED) The final of the De-Luxe Cup knock-out competition will be played cn the reserve to-morrow between O. ALP. and City, seniors. The O.AI.’P. team is known to be a .strong •omy 1 while the City club has picked a* very strong combination and it is expected the team will give a good account of itself. The game should be. a fast one with the ground on the light- side as a. result of very little rain. In addition to the junior match on. the reserve, -a junior and third grade games will be played on Connolly’s paddock. The third grade teams are putting on good football and always, bring but a fair crowd of supporters. THE KING’S BIRTHDAY MATCH AATTH OPOTIKI The AYhakatane Rugby Sub-Union was notified at- its meeting on Monday night at Ruatoki that the Opotiki Sub-Union would be willing ter send a team to play in AYhakatane on June sth. (King’s- Birthday), provided that the gate was divided 60-40; that AYhakatane returned -the . match later in the season, and that neither game was made a Parata Cup match. Opotiki could not send a junior team to play a curtain raiser. Delegates pointed cut that Opotiki had always played AYhakatane on the King’s Birthday and the game was not in the past returned in the same season. Air. AY. S. Henderson . suggested that Wliakatane oiler to return the match to Opotiki within a month, each union to take the. whole gate. It was decided that the matter be left in the hand.s of the chairman and secretary to make the best possible arrangements, and that an endeavour be made to get a junior game with Rangitaiki.—AATiakataue Beacon. Arrangements. There appears to be some misunderstanding in connection with the playing of the yearly friendly games between the AYhakatane and Opotiki unions. Some years back, the King’s. • Birthday - match was played alternately in AATiakataue and Opotiki territories. In the case of the AYhakatane game, this was usually played at Tuneatua and l it was only in recent years that the game was played ill. AAhakatane itself. In addition to the. match cn the King’s Birthday, it return match was always played the same season, but in later years when competition for the.. Apanui Slue id was rather "bitter, Opotiki found it almost impossible to persuade AYhakatane Union, tot send .a team to Opotiki to enable the Opotiki representatives , to get proper training, this Union usually finding itself at the tail when it came to playing the shield games. Then the Bay Union decided to make . the King’s. Birthday fixture, a Parata Cup gaine. This step proved rather unfortunate to both union’s, as unibh funds were generally built up to a useful extent by these friendly' games, and. thevloss l 4n - funds has been keenly felt by the Opotiki Union. The suggestion by the AATiakatanis Union that each union .should retain its own gate is a sound one, and likely to cause' no friction, as it worked satisfactorily in tlie past. It would be a good thing for tile two unions to collie to a definite'■arrangements for home, and home friendly games to be played each year.' the second game to be fitted iu to' give training for the first team involved in a Shield game. There is no reason why such an arrangement could notbe amicably settled l , to the general good of Rugby in bqtlf, : T he visit of the AYhakatancCteom .•'tcrOßCtiki was always loc4icHc-forwa;xrto'tvith pleasure in Opotiki and Ml . whs A pity that the old arrangement j ; e : ver have fallen through; - ( / b It. is very . essentiaF^iatihpllf.:Abiions should retain tho. fgates,- neither match. to be a Bay- -Union fixt.uie. AAitli transport rc-stmti'-m fclilMiu-