A REFEREE'S VIEWPOINT

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 234, 30 September 1908, Page 7

A REFEREE'S VIEWPOINT

I j MR. HARRY FROST'S OPINIONS. In commenting on the past season, one cannot help remarking on the fine performance of our reps., partly due, no ttouirt, to splendid forward work, backed Up with safe, if not brilliant, backs. No SliiiSsr:d is raosfc essential for success, vist., <somU.nation and a knowledge of each other's JilaV. AueWaild is ai Hie present lime very fortunate in possessing- an extremely fine set of forwards, combining as they do weight, pace and height, with a thorough knowledge of the game. CLUB FOOTBALL. In the senior grade, the bulk of th« "ttar" players were members of the City aud Ponsonby teams, and outside the first contest between these two club» there was nothing above the. ordinary display in club football; certainly the other district teams could not put up a decent performance against either City cr Ponsonby. In the first and second junior division some of the teams possessed players of much promise, while in the third juniors there are some fine youngsters who should develop into something above the ordinary, provided they receive proper coaching and due encouragement. In this connection I should like to sound a note of warning to those gentlemen who have the control of football in this province. We are naturally proud of the success of our reps., but I am strongly ot opinion that club football should" not be entirely sacrificed. 'Ihe last senior club game was played on June 27th, since when the great majority of our players have been "looking on." This is not encouraging to those players whom sooner or later we shall have to fall back upon to fill vacancies in the rep. team. REPRESENTATIVE FOOTBALL. This brings to my mind a subject upon which I hold strong opinions. There is far too much representative football nowadays. We are pleased to hold the Ranfurly Shield, but I think that the cost of holding it may mean great disadvantages to our junior players; By junior players I mean those of th«! seniors who lose their football through

. rep. games and the players of junior grades. There are no junior matches played whilst rep. games or games for the Ranfurly Shield are being contested. Could not a fresh scheme be evolved as regards the conditions attaching to the retention of the Shield? Rugby football is a game, and as a game it should be played throughout the whole season . by the many, not the few. There is a , pronounced tendency nowadays to sacrifice everything for the rep. team, and in Auckland especially so, in order to be ■ prepared to meet all-comers —and there i are many—to defend possession of this • much coveted Ranfurly Shield. Does . this not savour too much of business, . and not sport? It may be that I am . wfong, but is it not a fact that we ; are, to a great extent, neglecting club : football in the interest of the rep. team. : At the risk of being considered a pessi- ! mist, I do believe that if we continue , on present lines, the ultimate result will I be disaster. Young fellows are natur- • ally anxious for a game of football from, . say. May to August, und I would urgently counsel our Rugby Union officials , to see that they get it. Competitions here this season were closed soon after the first round was completed. It unfortunately is too true that by that time there was practically no doubt which team was to be "on top," and it is also unfortunately equally true that those teams who by that time had no chance, or who thought they had no chance, lost interest in the competition in which they were engaged, and more often than not ore or other of the teams turned up short, or did not roll up at all. Cannot this state of affairs be remedied? From a fairly good knowledge of the conduct of various competitions in other towns, I can safely say it is very rarely that any team competes short-handed elsewhere, and very rarely that a team forfeits. Is the state of affairs which has existed among the juniors here the fault of club management, or is it the fault of the District Scheme? Is it not possible that the District Scheme benefits only first grade players? It is a curious fact that Auckland is the only large town in the Dominion where the District Scheme equally true is it that there has been less interest taken here in junior 'football than in Wellington, Christchurch or Dunedin. It is also a curious fact that in the other large centres there is a greater equality in senior contests than is, or has been the case in Auckland for many seasons past. The scheme brought into operation this season by the Auckland Rugby Union for the encouragement of junior football, was more or less o" a success, but there is something further required. RULES OF THE GAME. A controversy is at present going on with regard to an improvement in the laws of our game. I firmly believe that I with a few alterations the Rugby game can be made as fast and attractive as to entirely satisfy the great majority of I players and spectators. I believe that if some amendments on the following lines were made, the game would be considerably improved, viz.: — 1. In case of a line out, the ball be thrown out at least five yards. 2. All free kicks or kicks at goal from tries to be unrestricted—in other words, the abolition of "charging.** 3. The imposition of a penalty on any player crossing an imaginary line drawn -through the back row of the scrummage, on his own side, while the ball is in the scrummage. .;«*7!?'#:.',-• v 4. The referee to put the*.ifi_fa&3wruifi». mage. , 5. The modification of the rule relating to a player passing the ball off the. ground after being tackled, and of the rule relating to a "mark" or of a "knock on." 6. The advantage rule to apply to the "throw in" from the line out. 7. A goal from a mark or penalty or try, two points. I do not think a player should be penalised for kicking into touch except as at present provided in our laws; neither do I incline to any alteration to the law relating to a "touch"' or "force down." I hope and feel sure that the conference of delegates to be held in Wellington shortly will give the question of rules their most careful consideration. The question may possibly be raised that the English Union will have "none of it." I think, however, that the parent body may be inclined to listen to suggestions, and profit by putting them into effect. PAYMENTS FOR LOSS OF TIME OR WAGES. I believe that the only solution of this difficulty would be the payment of such an amount to players as they would otherwise earn in following their everyday or usual occupation. The majori:.,' of players are working men, and some are married in addition, and these men cannot in reason be expected to lose their ordinary pay, or at any rate it is reasonable to allow these men for their lost time. Where a man did not lose his wages while on tour, he certainly could not receive anything as regards loss of time. In the ovdiMW way, \m of time would probably .veTSS. wilS? «So .?&- fcrcnce""m "principle is between paying a 01 1 1) 1 1 1 m n, say, 2/ per day, as authorised hy lish Union, to the "All Black" team, and, say, 8/ per day. It must also be conceded that a man on tour is naturally inclined to spend more money than he would do if at home. The possibilities are that most of our unions could not afford to pay for loas of time, and the result of this would probably mean less rep. games, which to my mind would not be an unmixed evil. At the present time there are far too many r<?p. fixtures, and, as a consequence, too much absence from work, and too much leave required. Of course, ft may oe argued that if a man be picked for a touring trip, and he cannot afford to ao, he should not go; but that argument will not work out in practice. I am firmly of opinion that the curtailment of travelling is a matter devoutly to be desired, and should receive the veryearnest consideration of the powers that be. Employers are naturally becoming very chary of these too frequent appeals for a day ofi' here and a week off there. In addition to this, there is another matter in connection with the frequency of rep. games, such as has been I the case here this season, and I that is the enormous amount of work which falls upon the shoulders of a few of the Rugby Union officials in connection with arranging details, entertaining, and the like, of visiting teams. It is only from practical experience that one can possibly know the amount of hard work envoived. THE PROFESSIONAL MOVEMENT. The advent of the Northern rule game into this Domihion is causing a certain amount of commotion, but I do not think that we need fear that it has come to stay, and, even if it does stay, I am not prepared to say that that would be an unmixed evil. It is hardly correct, however, for those who are at present taking part in this game in New Zealand to attempt to argue that they are playing it solely hecause of + he superi-

ority of its rules over those of our own Rugby game. But there is no doubt in my mind that a number of men have taken up the new game because they cannot afford to lose wages while playing in the large number of first-class matches that now occur every season. Those who went to England with the "all gold" team are now playing the Northern game because they cannot help themselves, and some of those who have joined forces with the professionals since ihe latter's return, have possibly done so more or less out of pique. Of those who formed the original "pro." team, no doubt the majority desired to "firstly" take the favourable opportunity of seeing the "world," and, secondly, the possible chance of being considerably better off, from a monetary point of view, on returning than they were on leaving these shores. Be that as it may, I hope these good people will not attempt to persuade our players to forsake us and join their ranks, and I also hope that our men will not be easily convinced that it is to their interests to secede from us. I hope any doubtful ones will give the whole question their most careful consideration before deciding to take any serious step. MONETARY PRESENTATIONS. Another subject on -which I should like •to touch is the matter of presentations of money to players for services rendered. I deplore the unwise enthusiasm which which could cause such a movement to be encouraged. There is no greater admirer of a good player than am I, but equally am I totally opposed to a monetary recognition for sucn services. Football is purely and simply a game, and in saying this I do not think it is necessary for mc to go into further details why the almighty dollar should enter into the discussion only as regards loss of wages while on tour, and this latter only for the reasons I have explained. I wili allow that if a player becomes seriously incapacitated through an accident whilst serving his club or province, that would be a different matter altogether,! and entirely worthy of monetary help. I LOYALTY. I should like to add a few lines on the subject of loyalty. The question is often asked, "What has our Rugby Union done in the interests of football?" I hold no brief for the Auckland Rugby Union, but am personally acquainted with the majority of the Committee, and am quite sure that they try to do their utmost to further the interests of the game with a due and proper regard to the positions of trust, to which they have been elected by the club delegates, and, through the delegates, by the players or members of clubs. I feel sure that our local union would be only too thankful to receive, and to thoroughly consider, any fair suggestions which might tends towards either the improvement of our football generally, or which might be of benefit in the more successful carrying out of the various competitions under its control. Fair and straight-out criticism is to be encouraged, but no good can come from | "mudslinging," or from unfair attacks, not to a man, but at him behind his back. Personally there is one point I should like to bring under the notice of one executive body for their favourable consideration, and that is, the free admission to the ground and stands of old "rep." .players... and their wives to all TljahjeS/' M 3 auspices. It Would foer-'-W-'eourieous recognition, to which, I believe, these old "reps." are justly entitled, and an act which I think would- be thoroughly appreciated by these old veterans. REFEREES. One or two words in connection with referees! I am sure I will be excused for saying that I do not think the majority of players, the public, and Press know how to thoroughly appreciate a referee. There are two classes of referees; first, there is the practical referee, who gives up his time to attend meetings of his association, and make himself as well acquainted with the rules and so forth as is humanely possible, and take charge of games to the best of his ability. Then there is the grand stand referee — the man who knows little or nothing of rules, and cares less, but who finds fault with, everything or nearly everything the practical man does. As a player. I used to look upon a referee as an ordinary mortal; as a referee, I am convinced a referee is more or less what I heard him called by an esteemed "has been -ep." forward the other evening—"a hero." I would appeal to the public, the playors, and the Press lo give the referee every possible consideration; remember that he is only human, is quite liable to make mistakes, and probably does do so; I will lay claim to making as mar/ mistakes in a game, as the ordinary referee does, but, apart from that, the referee is there not to please the players, the public, or the Press, but to adjudicate fairly and squarely on the rulos of the game, as they ore written, always having regard to a, certain llUlOUnti lof common sense, and that is what I jliililfti'llfi 1 credit fr>»-. -As a-Tx executive officer «F t-he Ancle land Rugby Tte forces' AssociaI to, I cxteM.fi most cordial invito. ' tion to anyone to be present at our meetings held during tbe season in tbe Sports , Club-rooms, on every Wednesday even- ' ings at 7.30 o'clock, and ask any question or make any enquiry in reason as to any decision of a referee; but I also t ask that, in fairness, you refrain from criticising a referee's a-ction on any point until some explanation is forthcoming.