LEVIN SCHOOL WINS NOAD SHIELD.

Shannon News, 21 August 1928, Page 3

LEVIN SCHOOL WINS NOAD SHIELD.

ANNUAL SEVEN-A-SIDE TOURNA-

MENT.

The second contest for the handsome silver shield presented' last year by. Mr W. Noad, then a resident, of Levin, for competition at an annual seven-a-side tournament by Rugby representatives of the primary schools of the district, was held on the Levin Park Domain onj Saturday afternoon. Last year the trophy was won by'Foxton, who defeated Shannon in the final by eight points to- nil. The tourney on Saturday resulted in the Shield passing ' into the possession of the Levin District High, School, whose A team defeated Foxtoii by eight points to nil in the final. The tournament was held in delightful weather, on a fast ground, and in the presence, of a large number of spectators. 'Six teams were entered—three from Levin D.H.S, two from Foxton D.H.S., and one from the Levin Convent School. The preliminary games were played to eliminate two of the teams, leaving four to play in the semi-finals. Each game was played in two spells of seven minutes, ach, but in one ease an extension was necessary owing to a tie. ■ . In the first round Levin B met Convent, and the latter won by 11 points to nil. J- MeMinn scored a try, ancl \T. Wilson was responsible for two tries, one of which he converted. Superiority in attack marked the play of the Convent lads, but their opponents would have made a better showing if they had been quicker in getting in their kicks. Mr Adam McDonald .was referine* v . • The next game was between Levin C and Foxton B, and when time was sounded the score was three all, K.Eyes having obtained a try for tne home team and Easton a try for the visitors. An extra spell was played till the first force-down, which was by Levin, and the Foxton boys were declared the winners. Mr Ron King! refereed. * • „ , , The fiijst semi-fi,nal was between Levin A and Convent, and the former had all the/best of the game, which they won by 16'points to nil. The firs! spell ended with five points, Williams having secured a try, which Kingsbeer converted. In the second half Williams again scored, and Kingsbeer s kick from a difficult angle just massed rhe goal. Curtis was the next to cross the line successfully and Williams added the goal. fJust before the game ended Williams put on another try,. MiKing! had the whistle. The contest between the Foxton A and B teams was a walk-over for the former side, who scored 30 points 15 in each spell—while their opponents failed to obtain a score. Tries were trained by J. Cr.ystall, K, Matthews, B. Coley (2), and Walls (2). Matthews converted three and Coley three. Mi A. McDonald was in charge. . The final, between Levin A and I oxton A, was a well-played game. r lho home team were obviously the better of the two, possessing both combination and speed; but the visiting players put up a plucky defence and maintained their spirit to the finish. The Lev in boys were early on the attack, and for the greater part of the. first spell play was in Foxton’s territory, the local men showing them points in the handling of the ball. Following a combined rush, the ball was kicked over ; the Foxton line, and Williams fell on it. Kingsbeer converted in good style. Levin 5, Foxton 0. Half-time sounded shortly afterwards. Soon after the changeover, Levin got into a good position by punting and following up. Crisp obtained possession near the scoring area and passed to Procter, who scored. Williams took the kick successfully'from a sharp angle, Levin 8, Foxton 0. The visiting boys rallied, but did not, progress far. Coley made a couple of attempts to reach the line, but when he was tackled support was lacking. Mr Kingi controlled the game.

PRESENTATION OF THE SHIELD. The result was hailed with great enthusiasm by local supporters, and both teams were loudly cheered when returning from the field. The presentation of : the Shield then took place, in front of the grandstand. Mr W. Hannan, president of the Horowhenua Rugby District Council, apologised for the absence of Mr Noad, w T ho was in town earlier in the day, but was unable to remain long enough

to see the tournament. He had, however, expressed the hope, which he ask er Mr Hannan to convey to the boys, that the best side would win. ilie President congratulated the winners, also the losers, on the game that both sides had played. He then asked the Mayor (Mr T. Hobson) to present the Shield. r T> T In handing the trophy to Mr R. JFoss,- headmaster of the Levin District High School, His Worship complimented him and congratulated the boys on their meritorious win. He thought that nobody could say that the best team had not won. He 'felt rather sorry for the losers; seeing that they had played so well in the past, there was a tinge of regret that they had to part with this handsome trophy, and he felt with them, but he knew that they wopld take the loss in. the manner expected of them by the donor of the. Shield, His Worship expressed the hope that the winners would not hold the shield too long, because such trophies had to go round witli the object of fostering the spirit of football in the district. Therefore, after every year -or two the shield should come into the possession of a different school in the district. • The Mayor ealled for three hearty cheers for" the winners,, and there was a ready response. Mr Foss thanked the Mayor for the kindly sentiments he had expressed, and, in taking delivery of the Shield, said that he, did so with a very great deal of pride—pride in the interest •shown in the national game in this district, and in the form which the boys had exhibited. It did not matter very much whether Levin, Foxton or any particular school was the, holder of the Shield for Ilie time being, provided that the holding of it did not carry, with it anything that would mar the further progress of the game in the district. If there was one thing that competition of this sort should foster, it was a manly game, conducted in a proper way, irrespective of who should win it. The acquisition of the Shield should be an incentive to the boys of the Levin school to continue, to the best of their ability, to play, the game as if should be played. Mr Noad, if lie could have seen the contest, would have said’ that the senior players of the future in this district would be well forward in regard to efficiency and the proper conduct of the game. He would also have said. I hat there were fine forwards and backs in the district, and that they had 'been very efficiently coached by the respective masters in charge of school sport. Mr Foss added that lie would like to pay his tribut to the hard work put in, not only by Mr C. Procter, of the Foxton school staff, who was the coach for the runners-up, but, also bv Mr H. McDonald, to whom might be wholly attributed the success that had come to the Levin school on this occasion. It was only those who knew the out-of-school time that a coach surrendered in the interests of the sport and of his lads that could appreciate the hard work done by Mr Procter and Mr McDonald and the others responsible for the development, of primary school football in thi3 district. He had to thank the Mayor for honouring ’ the boys’ games by liis presence, and the Rugby Council for their conduct of the competition. He trusted that the result of the Shield being in the Levin school’s charge for a year would be that it would continue to make for the progress of the national game. If the sport was fostered in the various districts of New Zealand to-day, then .in the years to come the representatives of the Dominion as a whole wmuld continue to advance the status of Rugby football in this country.

After formally thanking the President and the Mayor for the delivery of the shield, the Headmaster ealled on the Levin boys to stand and give three jolly good cheers for the team to whom success did not come, and three more for their coach.

A rousing volley of cheers eame from the boys, bringing an interesting function to a close.

Manawhenua Juniors To Play Wanganui The following tearir will represent the Manawhenua junior represenattives in the match with the Wanganui representatives on Wednesday, 2nd August, at 2.45 p.m.:— Pull-back: Pou (Horowhenua). Threequarters: Page (Manawatu), Atkins (Horowhenua), Seymour (Manawatu), Five-eighths: Benge (Manawatu), Hose (ManaAvatu). Half: Hepburn (ManaAvatu). Back Row. McKenzie (H.), Argyic (M.). Supports: Taylor (II.). Ycrtongen (H.). Lock: Johnson (M.). Hookers: Flowers (M.), Farrell (H.). Emergencies: Backs, Smith (M.), Thompson (H.). forwards, Trotter (H.), Cope (M.). The Manawhenua team Avill leave the Cafe do Paris not Inter than 12.30 p.m. ALL BLACKS TO PLAY IN TEST AGAINST N.S.W. • CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. The i-ollowing team) lias been selected to represent New Zealand in the First Test against New South Wales at Wellington on September E: Full-back: Butler (Auckland). Three quarters: Minns (Auckland!, L. Hook (Auckland) and Snodgrass (Nelson). Five-eighths: Cooke (Wairarapa) and Brandanovitch (Otago). Half-back: Holden (Otago).

Wing-Forward: Porter (Wellington). Forwards: Palmer (Auckland), Clark (Can- ‘ terbury), Freitas (West Coast), Steere (Hawke’s Bay), Willoughby (Wairarapa), Knight (Auckland), and Batty (Auckland). Emergencies: Backs: McClymont (Otago) and Oliver (Canterbury). Forwards: Toby Robinson (Canterbury) and Howden (Southland). The New South Wales Rugby Union team to tour the Dominion, which is aboard the Ulimaroa, which left Sydney on Saturday, contains several lastminute substitutes who have replaced those unable to make the trip. Nevertheless, it is a good representative side.