RUGBY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20085, 14 November 1930, Page 21

RUGBY.

ONE CODE OF LAWS.

MR C. W. PACKFORD'S CONCLUSIONS. (iaeil OTTB OWH COBMSPOKDEST.) LONDON, October 3. Now that the British "Rugger"' players have ended their tour in Now Zealand and Australia, Mr C. W. Packford, in "Sporting Life," says he is able to deal with a maas of correspondence and comments of a rather delicate nature that have reached him from time to time from "Rugger" friends in New Zealand. One of them he first. met when the 1905 All Blacks were over here, and others who were closely associated with the team of 1924. '' There is little doubt that at one period there was a real fear in, New Zealand that Mr James Baxter would adopt the extreme eourse of declaring the tour off so far as New Zealand was concerned."

1 * Knowing ' Bim' Baxter as I do, writes Mr Packford, "I am certain , there was little danger of him taking a step that would have wrecked, possibly for .all time, the friendly sporting relations between the two Unions. I' can imagine him, when attacks of an altogether unwarrantable character were being launched against Douglas Prentioo and his men, treating them with the contempt they deserved. This, however, was not the view of many in New Zealand, especially following that regrettable" and ridiculous outburst of one who had acted in the capacity of manager tp their team, and in view of other 'insinuations' again&t the sports manship of the team. Fortunately for the sake ef the game in general we were represented by a man with undoubted statesmanlike qualities, aiid with perhaps, better (still, a sense of humour I know for a fact that th? B«gby Union owe a deep debt of gratitude to James

Baxter, - and : they will realise this if the inner history of the tour .is fiver conveyed to them< "In tho match with Auckland, 'the British team were awarded thirteen penalty kicks against the five of their opponents. This was the cause of a severe attack on Mr 3. MoflJtt, *>f Wellington, the referee, who was accused of weakness, and with a desire to favour the visitors, "Now, the understanding was that the games in New. Zealand with the British team should be played a& over here, under the laws of the International Board, and these were so successfully interpreted by Mr Moffitt as to call forth the publio approval of Dr. Q. J. Adams, the president of the New Zealand Union. Unfortunately, the crowds in attendance at the various games are unfamiliar with the. laws of tho so-called International Board, could not appreciate their own players being penalised for taetics which they recognise .as permissible. It was obvious at the end of the tour over here, of the second All Blacks' team, that something would have to be done to bring all the Rugby playing nations together so that the same code of laws would be universally adopted. Cause of Dissatisfaction. "Much of the dissatisfaction caused in New Zealand during the tour — there was, fortunately, nothing of the kind evinced in the six games in Australia—has been, to my mind, wholly and solely the result of a state of affairs that should, have been altered years ago. It is unfair to oxpeet our Dominions to play under different laws to their own, when they meet British teams, and it is bound to lead but among the players themselves, bo convinced'am I that the whole principle is wrong that I hope no gamea will i i take place in the future between. I British teaijia and those of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa until one code of laws has been adopted by them all. Surely even the International Board must at last realise the necessity of thist Still, it is gratifying to know from unbiassed sources that our men are leaving the Antipodes having gained the goodwill and respect of the groat majority of sportsmen ♦ down under.* Wa howQver, expected nothing else."