BLAZERS FOR REPS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 873, 17 January 1930, Page 11

BLAZERS FOR REPS

PRESENTATION BY RUGBY UNION HONOURS FOR 19 PLAYERS Apparently at peace with the world, ten athletic young men walked down Vulcan Lane last evening, all carrying neat parcels of an exactly similar size and appearance. They were representative Rugby footballers of the Auckland Province and had just been presented with blazers as a reward of merit by the Rugby Union. It was the suggestion of Mr. Arthur Billington, a member of the union executive, that blazers should be presented to representative players this season, and it is the first time in the history of Rugby in Auckland that such gifts had been made. Mr. Billington designed the badge, which consists of an elaborated form of the City coat of arms. In addition to the usual design there are the blue and white of the Rugby Union, a spray of fern leaves and the letters A.R.F.U. The colours of the material are alternate light blue and white stripes. The blazers were presented at a special meeting of the union presided over by the president, Mr. J. Arneil last evening. Mr. Arneil said that it was a unique occasion as it was the first time blazers had been presented to representative players in Auckland. He congratulated the 19 players who had qualified for blazers, and exhorted them to do their best, particularly the younger men, to earn the right to wear All Black blazers as well. “Air. Frost tells me that he still has his first rep. cup at home and would not part with it for a great deal,” continued Mr. Arneil. “It is 51 years since I first won representative honours, and I am proud of my own trophies, too.” The president, commenting, on football in the old days, remarked that Rugby was purely a Saturday game then, there being no training during the week. The game was not so fast and there was no set formation of the backs,] the line-out depending on the opposition. The wing- forward had been a thorn in everybody’s side then, too. “I was one and I came in for a good bit of blackguarding,” continued Mr. Arneil. “Players of the old days could not have kept up the pace of present-day Rugby. I am not one of those who say that there was no player like the old player.” Concluding, Mr. Arneil welcomed Mr. T. v\itken, a vice-president of the union, who had recently recovered from a long illness. Mr. Aitken and I have known each other for more than 50 years,” he added. In the opinion of Air. IT. Frost, chairman of the executive, it was very fitting that Mr. Arneil should make the presentations. He had represented the province 51 years ago and his present health was an indication of what training and Rugby could do for a man. Mr. Frost urged the players not to let the diversity of interests in modern life take their attention from Rugby. Mr. Frost regretted the absence of T\ C. Minns, but congratulated him on winning a Rhodes Scholarship. “Alinns is not going until August, so we shall have him with us for a little while next season,” he said. All*. Frost apologised for the absence of Air. V. R. Meredith, Auckland’s sole selector. Returning thanks on behalf of the team, F. W. Lucas, the captain, said that they all knew what the blazers meant in tradition. The union could rest assured that they would be safe in the hands to which they had been entrusted. Air. Aitken thanked Air. Arneil for his welcome. “I remember playing Rugby with your president 56 years ago in Albert Park,” he added. “He was a whale among minnows then.” Players who were presented with blazers were as follow: —F. \V. Lucas, A. Finlayson. W. Batty. C. Cammick, S. Hadley, L. Hook, AI. Corner, R. Bush, V. Butler, A. Knight, A. Jamieson. The following players were not present but will also receive blazers: L. Knight, Satherly, L. McGuire, J. Peacock, K. Anderson, P. C. Alinns, C. Fletcher. A. Palmer, J. Cathcart and A. Ale Williams.