RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 123, 27 May 1930, Page 16

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

THE WING FORWARD. MR. BAXTER'S BLUNDER. ! . MISSED HIS CHANCE. i Apart from any question of discretion, the unfortunate aspect, to keen •followers of Rugby, of Mr. James Baxter's bald dictum, "the wing-forward is nothing hut a cheat," is his absolute j failure to justify his statement in any way. There are many strong supporters of the game in New Zealand, who are not enamoured of the wing-forward. They would have been glad to have had \ an effective lead for the abolition of this particular gentleman, by the right word at the right time, from one in the exalted position held by Mr. Baxter. Haying chosen the right time, when his team was winning handsomely, and in a position above the reproach of having to make excuses for failure, Mr. Baxter has blundered sadly in his choice of words. It goes without saying that any player who deliberately "beats the referee" is nothing but a cheat, but that is a different matter. Mr. Baxter speaks "vaguely of the malpractices of the wingforward. What are they 1 He is silent on this point. A wing-forward is a player who puts the ball in the scrum for a New Zealand team; the serum-half does the same for Britain., In theory they act precisely alike. until the ball is out of the scrum. It is "up to Mr. Baxter to state precisely;'.wherein they differ in practice, or in malpractice. Clad in the mantle of ..the English Rugby Union, and issuing the com?, mandments of, that body in a voice of thunder, Mr. Baxter, in his; own department, appeals, to New -Zealanders as the least impressive figure''among the British visitors.; Hopes: are-now centred in the team itself. So : far it has commanded universal admiration by its admirable sportsmanship.' and high standard of play. It /promises: to prove itself a power which may win the honours on the field, and become a persuasive force to bring Britain and New Zealand together in style of play much more surely than will Mr. Baxter's fulminations.