PREPARING FOR FRAY.

Shannon News, 19 July 1927, Page 3

PREPARING FOR FRAY.

MANAWATU TEAM TO CAMP. TO TRAIN FOR . SHIELD CONTEST At the meeting of the Manawhenua Rugby Union on Saturday evening a letter received from the New Zealand Rugby Union deprecating the custom of provincial teams going into camp for training purposes prior to big matches, aroused a lengthy discussion as to whether the Manawhenua team should be sent into camp for the forthcoming match against Hawke’s Bay or not.

“Personally I am against this practice,” said Mr Ongley, “but the Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa Unions nave declared their intentions of condnuing the practice of putting their ;eanio into camp, and if any team hopes to compete with these unions they must meet them under similar conditions. I do not think there is any other way to get our men In a condition .fit to meet such teams on the field, and we should give our team the opportunity of training when meeting such formidable opponents, ev, n though it may entail some hardhips, such as loss of wages, etc.” The Chamber of Commerce had d'ferod to help the members of the earn to go into camp, continued Mr ngley. The proposition, however, nad not appealed to him personally as it-was a proposition from a business body to a sporting body, with the object behind it of bringing money into tlw town. The players were amateurs, and if to win the tiophy it meant putting 1 men in to camp each year, it uou'd not be long before it would be found necesrary to import players—and that was raising a very big question. However,, he Understood. the Chamber of Commerce had dropped the scheme.

Mr Hopwood, had still been very keen to see the men go to Camp, and had offered to provide bunks and cooking equipment for a camp at the showgrounds. Mr Winiata —“T move that the team go into camp for a week, starting as from the 25th inst.” This was seconded by Mr Eglinton. Mr Casey—“l do not want to see the offer made by the local people turned down, but I would like to see the camp further away from town than the showgrounds.

Mr Winiata —‘‘We will have to take the men who can get off.”

Mr Ryan —“In many cases it will b e very hard for men to get off. Public servants especially. At this time of the year it Is a very hard proposition.” .’ Mr Ongley said that he could see the difficulty, and that it was going to be very hard to meet Hawke’s Bay on their own form. A suggestion as to the Chamber of Commerce re-imbursing the men for lost wages was vetoed as professionalism. Mr Casey maintained that twentyone men going into camp for a week would improve out of sight. The selectors could get twenty-one men ho-awould fill the bill all right. Mr Ryan—“lf the selectors see fit to choose men who cannot go Into camp, that is their business. They must be given a free hand.” Mr Winiata’s motioi was then put