RUGBY BOMBSHELL

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 104, 23 July 1927, Page 9

RUGBY BOMBSHELL

Ranfurly Shield to be Returned to Wairarapa PROTEST UPHELD THERE was a sensational ending to the Ranfurly Shield dispute over the Barclay case to-day, when the New Zealand Rugby Union decided to uphold Wairarapa’s protest, and ordered that the shield be returned to Wairarapa.

(Special to THE SUN.) WELLINGTON, To-day. A special meeting of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union was held to-day to consider the protest of the Wairarapa Rugby Union in connection with the playing of W. Barclay by Hawke’s Bay in the recent Ranfurly Shield match between Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa at Masterton. The allegation was that Barclay had

played for the Hawke's Bay team in this match, in contravention of the rule which stipulates that a player must be resident not less than three weeks in the Union’s district, which he is

representing. Barclay, it was contended, was in Auckland for several days within the three weeks’ limit, having played there in the early part of the season for the College Rifles Club. After going fully into the case, the meeting decided to uphold Wairarapa’s protest, and directed that the Shield be returned to Wairarapa. COULD NOT TOUR AGAINST NEW RULE AUCKLAND’S HOPES GONE

(Special to THE SUN.) NAPILR, To-day. A UCKLAND’S fond hope of having the Ranfurly Shield match with Hawke’s Bay in Auckland this year seems destined to be dashed to the ground. At a meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Union last evening it was explained that under a rule introduced last year

the team winning the shield had to hold it two years before it could take it on tour. As Hawke’s Bay had only re-won the trophy this month, it will be July, 1929, before it can do this. If the Bay hold it thus, it seems that Auckland’s application to have the shield game with Hawke’s Bay in Auckland on August 27 is offside with the rules. In any case, it is believed here that, following the narrow escape on the Bay in Christchurch last year, any proposal to take the trophy on tour again would be outvoted by the union.

MAORI TEAM ABSENTEES AUCKLAND UNION PROTEST BARCLAY’S POSITION EXPLAINED (Special to THE SUN.) NAPIER, To-day. Special reference to the absence of W. Barclay, S. Gemmel, U. Wilson and J. Gemmell from the Maori touring team that played at Auckland on July 9 was made at a meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union at Napier last evening, when the Auckland Union wrote protesting against the Hawke’s Bay native stars being utilised by the Magpies in the Ranfurly Shield game with Wairarapa that day. It was explained that, at a meeting of the New Zealand Union, when the tour was arranged, it was understood that the players would be available for home representative games if they were wanted, and the Hawke’s Bay Union had acted on this understanding. Reference was made in the letter to the action of W. Barclay, captain of the touring team, in not turning out, the opinion being expressed that he should have shown more consideration for his team. It w-as stated at the meeting that when picked for the tour Barclay advised the New Zealand Union that he would not be available for the first two or three games.