RUGBY TOUR

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 22, 18 April 1927, Page 11

RUGBY TOUR

TEAM FOR SOUTH AFRICA PRELIMINARY - MATCHES (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Saturday. The Rugby Union’s annual report says that as the team for South Africa must, to some extent, be selected on this season’s form the committee suggest the following preliminary matches: —North Auckland and Auckland versus the Thames Valley, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and East Coast at Auckland on August 20; Hawkes Bay and Poverty Bay versus Wairarapa and Bush at Napier on August 24; Wellington and ManawatuHorowhenua versus Wanganui, Taranaki and the King Country at Palmerston North on August 27; Nelson, Marlborough and Golden Bay versus Buller and West Coast at Westport on August 20; Canterbury and South Canterbury versus Otago and Southland at Dunedin on August 27; North Island versus South Island at Wellington on September 3. These matches comprise the trials for this season and the following games are to be played early in the next season to finalise the selection of the team:—Minor Unions of the North Island versus Minor Unions of the South Island; Major Unions of the North Island versus Major Unions of the South Island (these two matches to be played on the same day); North versus South and Possibles v. Probables. In its annual report, the New Zealand Rugby Union states that the tour in Australia benefited New South Wales to the extent of £2,600, and Victoria £2OO. The Maori team in Europe was an unqualified success. The report regrets that the visit from the French team, which been discussed for some years past, is definitely off. There will be no visits from New South Wales this year unless there is a better response this year than last. The Moascar Cup competition will be abandoned. The committee urges that the international board be pressed to send out a British team in 1929 or 1930. It is considered that too many inter-union matches are still being played, which interfere with club football. REFEREES’” ASSOCIATION Press Association CARTERTON, Saturday. The annual conference of the New Zealand Referees’ Association opened at Carterton yesterday, Mr. D. McKenzie (president) presiding. There was a record gathering of delegates. Mr. E. McKenzie, secretary of the Wairarapa Rugby Union, welcomed the delegates. In his opening address Mr. D. McKenzie lengthily reviewed the position and explained the effect of the new rulings and alterations to rules to be brougM novrt fhi< season.