INTER-ISLAND MATCH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 60

INTER-ISLAND MATCH.

The following have been selected to represent the South Island: — Full Back.— J. O'Brien (Marlboroug-h). Throe-quarters.— Colvin (Buller), FuJler, and Fryer (Canterbury). Five-eighths. — Gray and Weston (Can-ter-bury). | Half Back. — Burns (Canterbury). Forwards-— Ridland, Miles (Southland), Fitzpatrick, Patterson, Pa-ton (Otago), Corbett (Bulier), Sotheran (West Coast). Wing Forward.— Rodgers (South Canterbury). Emergencies. — Back — Ryan (Nelson) ; forward— Blyth (West Coast). | SYDNEY UNIVERSITY TEAM. SYDNEY, August 18. Ihe following team will represent the Sydney University Rugby team on its New Zealand tour: — Backs — Stafford, Kelly, Lane, Stack, Browninjr, Pcckley, Fisher, Hug-hes, Ross, Curtin, Curtiss. Forwaids— Reynolds, Broughton, Clayton Maxwell, M-etcalf, Martin, Lendesnen,' Doyle, Jones, Maiden, Macartney, Bowker. NEW ZEALAND UNION. WELLINGTON, August 19. Afc a meeting cf the Management Committee <of the New Zealand Rugby Union tonight, the appeal of the City Club, Gisborne, in reference to a goai in a match deciding the championship was upheld. The referee had disallowed the £oal, believing that the placer had his hand on the ball wten it was kicked. Several disqualifications by local unions wei'i made general Players reported for playing the Northern Union game were given a fortnight to chow why they shculd not be expelled ander the laws Relating to professionalism. Those now playing with the Maori team in Australia were- given a month. AUCKLAND RUGBY UNION. AUCKLAND, August 18. At a m-eating of the Auckland Rug-by Union to-night it was decided to send 20 plajers. under th-a management of Mr C. P Stichbury. on the southern tour. The team will leave Auckland by Monday er-aning's Main Trunk express, seveji of the party being engaged to play in bhe North : v. South Island match next Wednesday. The first match of the lour will bo played at Blenhsim against Marlborough on the 26th in*>t. Matches follow at Wellington i on the 28fch, at Waniganui on ths 31st, ajia i at New Plymouth against Taranaki on Step- j tembsr 2. The Auckland Union decided j to apply to the New Zealand Union fur j referees for all matches on tour. A letter from a sub-union (the Manaiapoto Union, with headquarters etTekuiti) was read, 'pro- I testing against fch-a New Zealand Rugby ] Union taking upon itself to place the Manaiapoto Union under the jurisdiction of the newly-formed South Auckland Union\ The letter stated that an emphaticprotest h&d been wired to th-s N.Z.R.U. The Auckland Union decided to reply stating that a protest had already been sent against, the action of the N.Z.R.U. altering the Auckland Union's boundary without notice or consultation. (From Our Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, August 19. The Auckland Rugby Union has decided to go into the question of amending ths ; district schemes. In connection with the matter the Star says : "At last night's ' fi'tinpr of the Auckland Rugby Union Com- j mittee the secretary (Mr C. V. Langsford) j brought forward the advisability of calling j o meeting for the purpose of discussing the ]))-p.-.ent position <*f Rugby football in | Auckland. The committee was unanimous ! in the opinion that matters had now | reached a crisis, and after discussion it was -decided to oaJl a meeting shortly to j po fully into the question. The inten- ; tion is to invite to the meeting the officers a.nd delegates of tee unions and officers of the district clubs and the Referees' Association. The question to be discussed is a most important one for Rugby football, for a. repetition of the past season would not only largely tend to kill public interest in the sport, but would also disgust those players who happen to res.de in the weaker districts. At the beginning of the fceason it was pointed out in these column 1 ? ■that the district scheme under the prce.nfc boundaries had outlived its usefulness, and thi-3 view has evidently now impressed the union officials. The question of reverting to the oki club system will probably find many supporters, and this may or may not be tile easiest way of solving the diffi* eult\ ; but before such a change is made the matter of again altering the district boii'ida/ies ought to be given every consideration. From one cause and another the bulk of the best players have drifted tc Ponvonby, with tha result already known, while the city clubs are as far ahead ot tho olhpi'6 as Poruonby arc ahead of them. North Shore, as is well known, will havesome difficulty in putting a team in tho field next season, while Ne\vton are also considerably weakened, sc that it will ea^ilv bo seen that the Rugby Union has a difficult obstacle to overcome. Hovy&ier, the question i<= now to be tackled in

earnest, when th« solution of the matter may be arrived at."