FOOTBALL.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17293, 3 November 1921, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY UP-TO-DATE. NEW BOOK ON THE GREAT SPOET. (rr.oxr oun own corresrosdt.\r,) LONDON, September 20. "Rugby Football Up-to-Date," is the title of an interesting volume just published by Messrs Hodder and Stoviphton (IteV Tho author is Mr E. H. D. Sewell, a London journalist, who ranks is ail authority on football ar.d cricked—"The Rugby Internationals' Roll of Honour" and "Triangula! l Cricket." In any work on Rugby Xew| Zealand must naturally occupy a prominent place, and this is certainly the case in the present volume. The author has sought tho assistance of a number of weli-krown p'.aver#. who contribute chapters- on the various methods of play, and almost ail have somen thing to say of the Unions "All Blacks'* tour. Indeed, from many points of view tho volume will be of interest to lovers of the game in New - Zealand. Mr €. J. Wniy, the representative of the New Zealand Ru;by Union o:i the Rusby> Union, has contributed a chapter entitled ' A New Zealand Point or- View." In Ihif he has endeavoured to make clear ilio attitude taken up by the New Zealand Union with regard to certain matters affecting the relations of that Union with the Motheri Union, and in thus putting the facts into perr.ament form he should do much to e'aninate misunderstanding which still exists tn the minds of many Rugby supporters in•his country. The New Zealand, New South Wales, and Queensland Unions, he points out, aro pressing not only ior certain amendments, in tihe rules of Rugby but for a voico in the international control of the game; and just a3 the Imperial Parliament is now recognising the right of the overseas Dominion to be consulted in regard to Empire defence and other "vital matters by summoning tho Prime Ministers of the Empire to meet iw conference in London, so there has been si very definite feeling in Rugby circles. it* Now Zealand that they should have Bome-i thing more.thaii the mere right to send ai representative to attend the general meet J ings of the English Rugby Union, being no more than the smallest affiliated club ill tha Kingdom qnn do. Mr Wray then gives an account of the conference held in Sydney in November, 1319, when a resolution was passed "That an International Board of Control be lished. The governing bodies of Rugby inl «aoh country where Rugby is played shall W eligible- for affiliation. Each affiliated body* shall have representation thereon. The ob J jects of the Board Bnall be: (a) Uniform inj ternational government; (b)- uniformity of laws and rulings, (c) tho betterment of tho game by exchange of international tours, or any other means considered desirable." "It will be seen, tuerefore,' nays the writer "that New Zealand and the Unions associated -with it are asking for effective representation in the control of .Rugby, and while they do not go so far a# to sayt that at present it is a case of 'the tail wagging the dog,' they do feel that they Bhould bo given some voico in tho deliberations of those who govern the game. It is truo that representation on the E.R.U. Committee will give overseas representatives the ri"ht to bring before that body any proposals for alterations in the rules, and eo lortn,' but that is very far from being equivalent to their being entitled through their xepri* aentative to support those proposals individually before the supreme authority, ana,, what is more, to vote upon them. In any! case, the New Zealand Uniop does not contemplate letting'this matter of » really international Board drop, and doubtless mow will be heard of the subject Mer on. The Kick into Touch. Another matter discussed at length is tM Northern Union League game, and the de J eire to'alter the rules with to the "kick into toufch." In this connexion, Mr Wray remarks: "The International Board) appear to have considered that such an! amendment o| the rules would maig the game too fast for anyone but professionals; but the opinion is strongly held in New) Zealand that legislation is needed to cope with the inordinate dullness of some games caused solely by one Bide or the other kiokJ ing eternally into touch with the obvioua purpose of wasting time. . The writer may be excused for eaying that he witnessed * senior match at Twickenham in January last) between two well-known senior Eugby teams, which appeared to him to furnish an unr answerable argument in favour of some sucJi legislation. It was one of the dreariest of games, and small wonder that tjie spectators, _ finding that the ball was out of play more than in, drifted gradually away, cold W every sense of the ■ word and uninspired, leaving the players to' continue their competition of seeing who among them couldi kick 'farthest into the pavilion! It is ail -very well to say that the game is in the hands of the players; who can, make it or mar it-whatever rules may be made, but it is submitted by the New Ztealand Union that when abuses creep in and become detrimental to proper play, the governing body should make a stand and take all possible measure® to check such abuse." What is Wanted. In concluding the New Zealand writer comments: "It is just as.important to the English Rugby Union, after all, as t it is to the Australian and New Zealand Unions that the status of Eugby should be upheld throughout the world, and it ia lather unfortunate that a feeling exists, in New Zealand, at any rate, that the E.E.U. has net been as interested as it might have been in the ups and downs of the gaine out there. What is surely wanted is better liaison with the Home Union, and it is to be hoped that this'will be provided when New Zealand has a representative on the English Committee who will, in the ordinary course, report direct on matters which may »particularly affect or interest his Union." Eugby in France* Mr Cyril F. Eutherford, Captain, Racing Club de France, 1900-1903, hon. secretary of French Eugby for twenty years, contributes a chapter on the game in France. Mr Eutherford is to take out the French football team which is to go to New Zealand and Australia ior the 1922 season. He tells of the progress that has been made since 1837, when the Union dee Societe Franciases des Sports Ath'ietiques was formed under the auspices of the Baron de Conbertin, by the Racing Club de France and the Stade Francais, to govern a all amateur sport in France. Mr Eutherford tells that when he played his first game at Vincennes, in 1895. the spectators consisted of four park workmen, who called the. piayers "Un tae d'iinbeciles galopant Bur le gqzon apres un. ballon.. It was really after the international sports ofganised in connexion witft the 1900 I'aris Exhibition that the game began to make strides in, French towns. '