FOOTBALL.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3557, 20 August 1920, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

CLUB OR REP. MATCHES? ______ : TAIHAPE SUB-UNION'S REPLY At a full meeting of the Taihape Rugby Sub-Union last night, when, •the players selected for the Wanganui rep. team were also present, the difficulty in connection with the Wanganui Union's attitude regarding the continuance of the Cup fixtures at Taihape was discussed. It was decided that the local Cup fixtures be-. continued, and this decision met with* general approval. The decision of the Taihape Undom was telegraphed to the parent UndoDi at Wanganui this morning. THE ,RUGBY UNION'S VIEWPOINT With reference to the action taken

by the Taihape officials, a Wanganui Union representative made a long statement to a "Chronicle" reporter last night, which in effect is as fob lows:— '

j "To anyone acquainted with thej present season's history of TaihJapo j Sub-Union's relations to the Wanganui | Union, it wiil readily be seen that Taijhape's latest effort is a complete volte J face." "On the countrary, on their own ! acts must the Taihape Sub-Union stand convicted of a narrow and shortsighted policy that is the very essence of parochialism in its worst form. The simple fact, and one that should be borne in mind is this: The Wanganui Rugby Union has a ICDg-standing representative engagement, with Manawatu to fulfil at Palmerston North tomorrow—a fixture which Taihape SubUnion has been acquainted with " for over six weeks; yet at the eleventh 1 Lour th *Y cooly decide to ignore tho rep. match in order to continue" their ,cup game on that date. The question therefore is. which is the more important? As one having a long connection with Rugby football management, I have yet to learn that a mere eountrv Swatch i 3 of more importance than an in-e-'-Union representative match. Why not let the cup match be played without the rep. players? Or is it that there is more in it than the mere sporting interest ?

"Let it be distinctly understood thar the Taihape Sub-Union were last Saturday definitely informed by two of the Wanganui Union's officials that they must allow- the selected players to Tavel to Palmerston North to-mor-row, failing which they "would bo dropped from the touring team, be- i -• spite this, the Sub-Union has adopted 1 a dog in the manger f>tti l ude* of defiance by it? action. It is not the SubVvim that will pav for this stand, but the players selected to tour who now beeome deprived of their trip.' "Taihape Sub-tTnfonfs interests appear to be entirely self-centred, and " I suggest to them that they never intended to allow these players to " >

to Palmerston on the 21st inst. The basis for this suggestion is that Taihape desired to play Rangitikei -at Marton next Saturday for: the Pownall Tjpphy, aild when this fell through rafcy substituted a local cup match. !/r

"It is said that Taihape players have played for Wanganui on several occasions, but they do not say that «s often as not they have failed to take their places when selected, consequently Wanganui to be Bought to fill up. But when it comes to a two and a-half weeks' tour these stop-gaps awake to the realisation that they have been made a convenience of for the country players, who are given preference. "If it were left to the players concerned they would get away all right. However, the Rugby Union has met Taihape Sub-Union's attitude with firmness and unanimity, and there is no talk or thought of our going back On our decision. Batley, Cowie. McAuliffe and Murphy must play for Wanganui representatives to-morrow, tor they do not go south." (The "Wanganui Union apparently still fails to realise that the Taihape prayers are in accord with the decision of the Sub-Union)

THE POSITION EXPLAINED. The following letter has been drawn iUp by the secretary of the Taihape Rugby Sub-Union for publication in Wanganui in explanation of the position, as published yesterday:— It has come under our notice that the Taihape Rugby Sub-Union and players are being censured for their attitude to the parent Union in failing to send representatives to play for Wanganui against outside unions. So far as this Sub-Union and players afe concerned the statement is not correct, and if you confer with Wanganui's selectors lam sure they will admit that our players selected, have given the parent Union a fair deal as far as representing Wanganui against outside unions is concerned. There are two occasions in which we have failed to send players selected. The first being when W.R.U. had a anatch with Hawke's Bay and our Sub-Union were previously committed for a match against Ruapehu SubUnion on the same day. This particular match was arranged by Taihape;, Ruapehu and Wanganui R.U officials at a conference in Taihape,, so as to enable the parent Union to send their selectors to view the game for prospective players to represent them. The only course open for this Union was to fulfil its obligation with Ruapehu, and refuse players going to Wanganui, which you must admit was the right thing to do. The Wanganui R.U. #fter their officials had agreed to the match took exception, and refused to send their selectors as arTanged. The other case is the Manawatu match next Saturday. The Wanganui officials who visited us last Saturday were quite conversant with the facts, as they were advised by the Taihape Rugby Sub-Union's officials

here that we would have to Continue our Cup fixtures' next Saturday, as it is just on seven weeks since we had a cup game played, this delay having been caused through different Rep. matches being played, also through putting Cup matches off to enable selected representatives to play for Wanganui in provincial matches. You will see that this has been keeping 30 players standing on the line for the above-mentioned period, which Is not in the best interests of Rugby. Then again, if thi s match on Saturday was postponed it would mean another six weeks before the competftion would be completed. This matter was thoroughly discussed by the delegates at their meeting last Monday evening, and they decided that the Cup fixtures be proceeded with, hence our communication to W.R.U., advising players from here would not be available for Manawatu match. The above fully explodes the idea that our players are shirking their duty to the parent Union, and we can assure you they are only too keen to assist. Your readers may nq| be aware that in the rep. game last Saturday Taihape Sub-Union were called <on for nine players as against the parent Union's three. So far as making a convenience of Wanganui players i s concerned last Saturday's match was an example, when nearly all Wanganui players refused to travel to Taihape.- These presumably will not be given a place in the touring team. In conclusion, you state that the action of the Taihape Union is hard to understand and that we were always complaining. This has done a lot of goodj jJL it brought up into closer touch wi«'the parent Union, and I can assured you that we understand each other much better than was the case in -previous while we are affiliated to Wanganui Union, we intend to do the best we

can -to assist in the betterment of the JJfgame of Rugby, but at the same time we must look after our own end, !n order to keep all our players inter- ;, esteti. •' ;*■•

TO-MOROWS GAMES. On the Rec. to-morrow, Huias and Pirates Juniors will meet at 1.30 p.m., and a good game should result. At 3 p m. the senior Cup competition will be resumed, and Huias and Pirates will meet again after a long armistice due;- to representative fixtures.