RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 277, 22 November 1934, Page 23

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

ITALY ANTAGONISED. ENGLISH UNION'S INDISCRETION. Hard on top of the arranging of an Association iooloali maten between England and Italy conies the exclusive noiiy tnat Italians ale mole than deeply nui't at what tney'say is an act ox "gross discourtesy" on tiie part ot the ltugoy union, states a writer la a London paper of October 3. Briefly, the facts are these: Every ten years tne jtsersagneri of .Milan hold a big icacival. 'J. his year, as tliey are Keen ltugoy footballers, tney invited tne Barbarians to send over a Learn to show tliem now the game should be played. Subject to permission being granted by the ja.L., the Barbarians would liave accepted, and at the time no one thought tnat any obstacle would be put in tne way. Hie Italian duo went ahead with their arrangements. Signor -Mussolini, who was a sergeant in tne Bc'rsagiien, was to attend, posteis announced tnat tile "Baibarianos ' would Lie playing, a trcnicnuous reception was arranged, and accommodation provided tor spectators, with no gate money to be taken. Then came the bombshell. At the last minute the liugby Union, after a silence oi some weeiis, refused the Barbarians permission to go. No reason was given; bitter comments in regard to an Englishman's word were made to Englishmen resident in Italy, and the highly-placed individuals in the country felt much resentment at what looked like a snub. The pity, is all this bad feeling could have been avoided.

What happened was that the Rugby Union received the Barbarians' request during the period when they were considering what was .going to be their' polity concerning foreign countries. They were undecided if tlieir affiliated clubs should be allowed to send teams to any j»art of the Continent at all, and pending 4 decision as to policy the request was turned down. Shortly afterwards the Rugby Union issued its long statement about Continental tours, and the position now is that if the Barbarians or any other club ask to go to Italy, the K.U. sees no reason why they should be refused. The fact that other foreign countries were hand in glove with France through the "World liugby Federation" did not make the K.U.'s task any the easier. But with France so slow in putting their house in order, the II.U. now does not see why it should prevent its clubs from engaging in what may be termed missionary work in other parts of the Continent. At the same time, the delay in arriving at a decision concerning the Barbarians should and could have been avoided. The importance of the occasion in Italian eyes may not have been realised. And when the request was curtly refused it would have softened the feelings of disappointment had the reason been given. No soreness could then have been kindled 'in the hearts of Italians. They feel these things very keenly on the Continent, where unfortunately sport is mixed up with politics, and perhaps it would be a good thing if the suggestion that another famous club should go over later in the season were to materialise. As it was, the champion club of France took the place of the Barbarians and won by over 60 points to nil. But that did not matter. The Bersaglieri wanted to see a topclass exhibition of Rugby football as played by an English club, and it is a thousand pities that the Barbarians were not allowed to provide it. Incidentally, I hear that several English clubs have received invitations to tour Germanv. Exchange difficulties stand in the way, but if these can be overcome it will be interesting to see if permission is granted. . Reports about the game in Germany vary. It used to be pleasant enough until a year or so before the war. Since then one or two English clubs have been o\ei and their experiences have not been so h< Latterlv politics have been allowed to enter very largely into the game in Germany. and it would be as well for | intending visiting clubs to tread wanly.