THE SECOND RUGBY TEST

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21255, 29 August 1934, Page 6

THE SECOND RUGBY TEST

TO TDK XDITOtt OT TUB HUBS, Sir, —All listeners-in were 110 doubt disappointed with the extremely strict rofereeing of the recent Hugby test in Australia. The continual interruptions detracted from the interest in the game. Nevertheless, I think "Cheerio" is unnecessarily bitter with his suggestion that the referee favoured Australia. Surely that is a sweeping assertion to make on the authority of a mere broadcast description of the game. Certainly the All Blacks hammered at the Australian lino for 20 minutes or mora in the second spell, but for the last 20 minutes of the game the position was reversed. Twice, I remember, the announcer seemed certain that McLean was going to score, but both times that player was called back by the referee. Australia was on top at the finish and I think the less we ■queal about the result the better. Critics are apt to place too little importance on the strength of the other Kide. Because the 1924 All Blacks won all their games in England it is expected that if the 1935 team is to be a.; good, it must do likewise, this being unconsciously based on the assumption that the standard of English Rugby remains stationary. It la possible to i conceiva of the 1!.)35 All Blacks all the more important matches and yet being a better team than the 1:)2 ! All Blacks. Kilby stressed this poi.-it on Saturday when he said that the Australians this year were a more difficult proposition than they had been to previous All Black teams. But the result of the tests should be of great vajue. The country players of this Dominion have been effectively ignored in the past and the most that has been expected of country unions , has been the contribution of rugged < forwards. The Town v. Country (ix- ; ture was the best match I have .seen ; here this year because the country backs played fant, open Ilu:;by. Yet in the average season an outstanding country back is given one trial in a town match and is judged on that one . performance. The same applies to the isolated major unions. Mitchell, of] Southland, i.~, In my opinion, and in the opinion of experienced and authoritative friends of mine, the outstanding footballer in New Zealand at the present time. In the Oamaru and Auckland trial games he was played for parts of the sanies only, and was starved, so he had to fall out to make way for men picked on last year's reputations. One could quote many such instances of tried men of pa.it years having preference over better player 3 whom the selectors have not studied.

A mora comprehensive trial system will have to be evolved if we are to unearth suitable five-eighths for next year. Page appeared to take too ,much on himself on Saturday. Our own man, Mortlock, about whom much has been said and written, has the same disease, despite his promise of last year. The continual attempts at cutting-in, the damnable stab-kick 'useful only on rare occasions), and tha deadening line-finder seem to be the only attributes of a modern fivcaighth. If we are to have a fast and enterprising three-quarter line, let us have two insld« backs who will serve them, not two men who alternately play for themselves alone.

Lastly, considering (1), the depressing standard of club football in Christehurch this year; (2) the Inadequate system of selection of both representative and international teams; (3) the kick into touch rule; (4) the miserly policy of the Canterbury Rugby Union; '3) tha popularity gained by the League code through exhibitions of fast, open piny before lar#e crowds on Sundays (with which, by the wav I do not agree), 1 think the result of"the r,e«ond test match may have a furtherreaching effect than appears on the surface. Another season like this and it will take more than an All Black tour of England for Rugby to remain the national game.—Yours, etc.. FREE QUARTER. August 23. IQfM.