Waratahs Welcomed

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 313, 26 March 1928, Page 11

Waratahs Welcomed

“SPORTSMEN AND GOOD FELLOWS” MAYORAL RECEPTION ‘‘We are indeed proud of the way in which we have been treated in Auckland. You have made us feel that we belong to you, and we hope that good feeling will long exist; also that New Zealand will continue to help us forward the game of Rugby as it has done in the past.” Summarised, this was the reply of Mr. E. G. Shaw, manager of the Waratahs Rugby football team to the welcome extended by the Mayor of Auckland. Mr. G. Baildon, this morning. Among those present were Messrs. S. S. Dean, chairman of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union; J. Arneil, president of the Auckland Rugby Union; and H. Frost, chairman, and members of the Rugby Union. In addition to the Mayor, the town clerk, Mr. J. S. Brigham, was also present. Referring to the record of their tour, Mr. Baildon said the Waratahs, in addition to acquitting themselves well on the field, had also won a splendid reputation as sportsmen and good fellows. The English papers, in regretting their departure, stated that their play would he remembered for many years, and had expressed the opinion that J. Ford and W. Ross were in the same class as Maurice Brownlie and George Nepia. The tour had been followed with great interest in New Zealand, concluded Mr. Baildon, and he was very proud to have the opportunity of meeting them that day. MATCH WITH ALL BLACKS ‘‘The hospitality showered upon us in Auckland is characteristic of the feeling that exists between New South Wales and New Zealand,” said Mr. Shaw. New Zealand had given his State great assistance in raising the game to its present standard, and he looked forward with anticipation to further reciprocation. In this connection Mr. Shaw said he hoped that ait effort would be made to send an All Black team to New South Wales in the near future. A game between the Waratahs and the All Blacks on the Sydney Cricket Grounds would undoubtedly prove of great interest to the Rugby world. The captain. Mr. A, C. Wallace, also thanked the Mayor ttnd citizens of Auckland, on behalf of the team, for the hospitality shown them. ‘‘lt goes to our hearts,” he said, “that the greatest Rugby country in the world should see fit to welcome us in the manner it has. In England they heard a great deal about the All Blacks, and also found that English Rugby had greatly improved as a result of the New Zealand tour. “Unfortunately,” added Mr. Wallace, “it made our tour rather arduous.” The English players they found to be splendid sportsmen, and although the characteristic outlook of some of those controlling the game might not coincide with the colonial viewpoint, he would ask them to remember what those men had done for Rugby and the debt we owed them. "For the benefit of Rugby, we must all pull together,” he concluded.