RUGBY PROSPECTS

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 109, 11 May 1933, Page 5

RUGBY PROSPECTS

NATIONAL OUTLOOK.

"TASTE OF 'GOOD OLD DAYS."'

N.Z. PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON", this day. "At 110 stage in the history of New Zealand Rugby have we had cause to ponder more deeply on our relations with overseas Dodies, nor has there ever been a time when a fake step might more easily lead to misunderstanding," said Mr. G. H. Pownall, of Wanganui, in his presidential address to-day at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union. "Our relations with England have been my chief cc:i~jrn during the past year, and, as you know, I have used every possible channel to get our point of view appreciated by the Home authorities, and I think we may claim that our viewpoint is better appreciated at the present moment than ever before. Just at the moment it is not advisable to go into details, but I am sure that the results achieved, which will be discussed at this meeting, will be sincerely appreciated by all. Overseas Board Suggested. "I have felt for a long time that there should be closer co-operation between the overseas unions affiliated to the Rugby Union. I "would go further, and say that it would be in the best interests of the game if we had conferences from time to time, and that the first of these conferences might well be held in South Africa while the present Australian team is in that country. With three Australian unions, South Africa, and Now Zealand all represented, much good work could be done for overseas interests. "It might even be advisable to found an Overseas International Board. With the advent of Argentina and the nations of the East into the Rugby world, the much vexed question of tours will speedily become one that must be taken in hand at the earliest possible moment, and with the bulk of Rugby developing in the southern hemisphere it is easy to visualise the necessity for an administrative body functioning at the same season of the year as that in which the game is played in its area. Such a board would be of great assistance to the International Board at Home, and could, if considered necessary and advisable, be attached to that body." Disciplining Players. Mr. Pownall expressed appreciation of the loyalty of unions to the decisions arrived at during the last annual meeting, and congratulated the Otago and Taranaki Unions on possessing clubs which during tlie past season suspended their own players who had offended on the field when their offences had escaped the notice of the referee. Discipline such as that was most refreshing and augured well for the future of both the clubs and the unions concerned. "In abandoning our own specialised seven-man scrummage last season, New Zealand gave the world a very definite and practical demonstration of her desire towards a universal game wherever Rugby is played," said Mr. Pownall. "Our tour of Australia was thus the opening of a new era for New Zealand (the eight-man scrum), or rather the reversion to our game of well ovei a quarter of a century back. It was essential, therefore, that *tliis first team should have as good a grounding as possible in the new tactics, and it was exceedingly gratifying to us all when W. J. Wallace expressed his willingness to take charge of the team. Auckland's Tour in 187 S. "It is just 58 years (1875) since the first Rugby tour in New Zealand, when Auckland made a tour of the Dominion, then the colony. Even in those early days Auckland suffered from a difference in rules. In Auckland there was no penalty for a force, while in the South such an action cost a point, which, frequently done by the tourists, discovered a weakness and cost them most of their matches. This tour was followed in 1870 by Canterbury, and the following year by Otago. The first visit by New South Wales was in 18S-, when, to the great surprise of New Zealand, the visitors met more than their match, Auckland beating them twice, as did Otago, and their only wins were amaiiist Wanganui and Wellington. This vfsit was returned in 1884, when our team scored 107 points and had only 17 scored against them. Thus began that long list of happy tours of which last season's was by no means the least successful from every point of view. In those early days such things as 'Tests' were unknown, and all matches were played against districts. It is interesting to recall that 1888 savv the first English team reach our shores. They played 19 matches, losing two (to Auckland and Taranaki), drawing four (Auckland, Otago, Wanganui and Wellington), and winning the balance. "I trust the coining season will prove a happy one for all unions. Times are hard, but this will only serve to give nresent-dav players and officials a taste of the 'good old days' when every player and official had to rely on his own efforts and had no wealthy parent body to fall back on, as so many are inclined to do to-day. And I would remind you all that it was in those frugal days that the solid foundations of our union were laid." . I At the outset the meeting went into committee to consider developments resulting from representations made to 1 the English Rugby Union regarding the replacement of injured players.