RUGBY TRIAL SERIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 13, 15 July 1937, Page 11

RUGBY TRIAL SERIES

PROFIT BY EXPERIENCE

EXCESSIVE PLAY

The experience of endeavouring to stage Kugby trials in one centre on four days out of eight, as was planned for the present scries in Wellington, is not likely to be repeated. It became obvious when the second matches of the trial series were played on Monday that too much was being asked of the players, many of whom were feeling the ill-effects.by the time the mid-week trials took place, if not before. So many calls had to be made for extra players that it was felt that the trials were not serving the purpose intended, even though the misfortunes of some players meant unexpected chances for others. Of course, there are players who have gone through the three matches with credit, but it seems that the eliminating of the Monday matches would have made the series much more satisfactory..

More .players were called in yesterday, and still there were insufficient to meet requirements. Matters, in fact, reached a pretty pass when one team played throughout a spell with a man short and another team finished up with thirteen players. The New Zealand selectors were not assisted by some of the matches, and nobody realises more than the selectors that a mistake was made in playing the Monday matches. No doubt, if the chairman of the selection committee (Mr. E. McKenzie) is furnishing a report 1o the New Zealand Rugby Union, there will be a recommendation that the number of trials from one Saturday to the next be curtailed if the same system is employed at any future date. ■

"I am quite sure we will profit, by the experience," remarked Mr. S. S. Dean, chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union, when asked for an opinion on the l-esults of the new system. He agreed that the idea of assembling players for trials in one centre had much to commend it. but he was not satisfied that the playing of matches on Saturday and again, with the same players taking part, on Monday, was the right thing. "You can take it from me." ho added, "that we won't play on Saturday, Monday. Wednesday, and Saturday another time, and it seems that the playing of matches on Saturday, Wednesday, and Saturday is the best plan."