RUGBY CRITICISM.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LVII, Issue 10123, 12 July 1929, Page 2

RUGBY CRITICISM.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —l read with great interest Mr li. H. Phelan’s letter in Wednesday’s paper. There is no mys- i tcry attached to the selection committee. . ■ . ‘ For Mr Phelan’s information I -A would like to make one or two facts known. . , H The first team referred to was not selected hy the present committee. Tire second team and succeeding teams—not including this last team—were picked hy fiv e seloctors, namely, Messrs N. Day, D, , Carson, J. Downey, h. Warner junr.. and H. S. Riggir. The selectors for the last team were Messrs J. Downey, F. Warner junr., and H. S. Riggir. Unfortunately when the last team was selected I had not seen a match for four weeks, owing to sickness, and had only the opinions of the other members of the Committee to work on I think it would have f’ been wiser to defer the selection of t the team until after the Cadet v. | Athletic match last Saturday and ;. then undoubtedly wo would have ti cecn the defections referred to by = Mr Phelan. I have every respect t for Mr Phelan, both as a man and I as a football enthusiast, but wc r must agree to differ on what he terras the Turner-1 assoll article. Tassel 1 plays very well alongside Farmer, but as a wing he is at- » present hopeless and if opposed to ) a man like E. Kelly of Opotiki, \ I am afraid he would not last | long. Turner I always have con- < sidorod (from the time Mr J. Jor- I dan advised me to play Turner at | rover) to be the finest rover we I have had since Witana- Murray’s time. , , . , Leslie was left out owing to a misunderstanding. Both Turner, and Leslie work for Messrs Guinness Bros., and we were informed ! that both players were not avail- j able However Mr J. Guinness " j informed me that both players were " available if wanted. It shows’ there arc still some sports among . our business men when Messrs Guinness Bros, will allow those men time off in that manner. These two men also have time off -very Saturday for Club games as well’as having the regular Wednesday half-holiday. . The team as published is not necessarily the team to play Opotiki. lam not resenting the criticism in any way, a® selectors and referees usually get that, but when the selectors certain information it is usually wise to act accordingly. , Finally I would like very much to see Mr Phelan taking an active part in the management of our Rugby Union, as a man with the capabilities he undoubtedly has, would b e a big help. : Thanking you, Mr Editor, for this valuable space.—-I ami, etc., TT fe. JttiCjrVjr ill. Tauranga, July 12, 1929.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Criticism of football control and its players, if of the constructive type can do a lot of good, and would be welcomed by both players and enthusiasts. Mr Phelan’s letter is contained of little else but criticism of the destructive! type designed to do more harm than good. In reviewing a little of the football management in Tauranga covering the last 10 years, the writer has no recollection of ever noticing Mr Phelan in attendance at any annual general meeting of the Rugby Union, or is he aware of Mr Phelan offering his services in any such capacity- , No doubt there are many who do not entirely i aglree with 'the selection of the team, but afer all it is a. matter of opinion who should be included or not. The fault (if any) is is the hands of the enthusiasts at the annual general meeting of the Union. To mention one or two inconsistences (of which there are many) contained in Mr Phelan’s letter. He mentions the inclusion of Geo. lies and Farmer as five-eighths an another experiment. When it is considered that Geo. lies has played and proven so valuable fn countless representative fixtures and Farmer has played in no other position, then where is the experiment 1 Mention is also that Farmer is the one man capable of coaching. The question may reasonably bo asked —why, and on what qualification ? The writer has not seen the name of Farmer ever mentioned in, the cities as a high-class player or as a representative, whilst Geo. lies, the appointed coach, was a New Zealand representative. As for Mr Phelan’s suggestion that this .year's rep. team should be chosen with a view to building up a good combination for next year is absurd to say the least of it. It is not the business of the sole"tors to enquire if a player ig likely to be playing again here next year, they have only to choose from the material that is at present available. The principal is the same as handicapping runners or horses —on 'their performances. Football, like all other sports is dependent upon public patronage, and Mr Phelan’s destructive criticism coming at a time when representative fixtures are being featured, is doing anything but helping football, particularly from a financial point of view.—l am, etc., ' A. N. 'ILES. Tauranga, July 12th, 1929.