PUBLIC OPINION

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume L, Issue 7959, 11 April 1922, Page 4

PUBLIC OPINION

(To the Editor). Sir,—-I notice with much regret that it is proposed to start Rugby League Football in Tauranga. The 1 promoters give us no reason why they wish to cease playing Rugby and the public generally view the matter in a very different manner. Now that we are playing under the amended rules I challenge any League exponent to show where League ■excels Rugby. I have not the slightest doubt that League football, as well as Rugby, will be played in Tauranga this season and if this happens football here is going to have a severe setback. Yon will see a second-rate League team c< me. down from Auckland, be w dely advertised, and no doubt we will all go to see it — out of curiosity., Then probably a so-called Tuiranga Representative League team will visit Auckland. After this what arc we going to see? Tauranga will try and run Rugby and League together and the public will pay and wonder I Our football will deteriorate; wc will see no stirring Cup matches; competition will be ‘ absolutely killed. New Zealand, | let alone Tauranga. is too small to | .run League and Rugby together and j we have only to look around and 1 see what progress League has made. It started with a “blare of trumpets’’ in Rotorua and went “great guns” for one season! How much League was played in Rotorua last season? Absolutely mone and not

even spoken about. The same same around Huntly and Ngaruawahia, and now we find the Auckland Rugby League spending money wholesale. They sent- two representative teams cut last ‘season all over the North and South Islands—all propaganda work. Ido not for a moment question the rigid of any player changing from Rugby to League, but I do ask him, before doing so, to think of the harm he is doing football under either body in dividing up the players. This is happening at present in different parts of New Zealand and now it is proposed to do the same in Tauranga. The result is the strength of Rugby is impaired and League at the very best is only equal to a second rate Rugby combination of between 1897 anil the year tlial League -Tailed. Last year the New Zealand Rugby League sent a “rep'’ team over to Australia. They were beaten by cricket scores and before the lour was over this New Zealand League team, wearing the famous “All Black” jersey,'was put on as a “curtain raiser.” This, in my mind, was the greatest insult New Zealand football has yet had. What is the cause of this? Nothing but a division in the ranks and this is going to happen in Tauranga when two rival codes are being playeL After all the game of football is the main thing. It really does not matter what name it is given, but seeing that “Old Rugby’ 1 was first in the field let us stick to it. Close up your ranks and gel together and talk matters over, but do not break away. We all enjoyed football in Tauranga last season and personally I was looking forward to a great season and-still liQpe to see it, One of the best advertisements for Rugby football was theresult in the tests of the late tour of the Australian League “Reps” in England. When grounds were hard and fast the Australians won, but as soon as winter- conditions prevailed England won and always by combined footwork. After all football is a winter game and not a speciality for hard ground and dry ball. Therefore let us stick to Rugby in Tauranga and we will have football worth seeing. I would advice those natives who arc approached with a view of being selected in a New Zealand Native League team to wait a while. There is a New Zealand Rugby Native team to bo selected to tour Australia and our players in the Bay of Plenty will get every consideration when this is picked. Thanking you for the space. I am, etc., I ' R. 11, PHELAN. Tauranga, April 10, 1922, %