New Zealand Rugby.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19258, 13 March 1928, Page 8

New Zealand Rugby.

We printed yesterday an interview with a New Zealand sportsman who has just returned from England in which he deplored the "grimness and "implacability" of the 1924 All Blacks, and suggested that the New South Wales footballers were more popular in England than ours because they did not display these qualities so prominently. Frank and intelligent criticism of our style of football is always welcome, for our long-standing pre-eminence in this branch of sport has perhaps made us too self-satisfied, and it may be that the 1924 All Blacks, having always before them the magnificent record of the 1905 team, took their responsibilities top seriously. But most people will feel that this critic's remarks are in essence unjust to the 1924 team, however good they may be for our perhaps over-indulged, vanity. In the first place, Eugby in New South Wales, owing to the great vogue of the League game there, is more open and more spectacular than it is here, and consequently more pleasing to the spectators. A close game is bound to look " grim " to onlookers, but that is no reason for supposing that i the players are not showing the best possible spirit. Again, the mere fact that the Waratahs were beaten while the All Blacks were not must have made a vast difference in the popularity of the two teams'. By this we do not mean to cast any reflection on the sportsmanship of English spectators, but everyone knows that while the graceful loser will always be popular with the crowd, the eternal winner can hardly be so even if he has the spirit of an archangel. No one can suggest that the 1924 All Blacks would not have taken defeat in the best spirit, but as it happened they had to endure the more exacting test of unbroken victory. Whether New Zealand football would benefit by more risk-taking, as this critic says it would, is a matter open to considerable doubt, but it is absurd to suggest that a player's first consideration ought to be the pleasure of the spectators. Much nonsense is talked about "sport "for sport's sake," since unless we play to win—within the limits of fair play and good humour—we will not play very well or very heartily. It must be pointed out also that players cannot be asked to accept innovations in a game merely because these may improve the gate receipts.