RUGBY FOOTBALL Need For Better Play Emphasised In Letters

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27565, 24 January 1955, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL Need For Better Play Emphasised In Letters

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, January 22. Better and more entertaining Rugby is wanted by the British public, judging by letters to “The Times,” says Reuters sports editor. The controversy began as a result ©f the poor display by both teams in last year’s university Rugby match, generally regarded as having been about the worst ever. This was after a match the year before which shocked supporters by its rough and dangerous play.

Many are the suggestions to improve the standard of play, not only at the universities, but throughout the country. First comes the perennial suggestion to alter the scoring system. One writer from the West Country, as ever a stronghold of the game, proposes six points for a converted try, three points for a try and a dropped goal and one point only for a penalty goal.

There is a great deal to be said for such a system although it might be better to give four points for a try and only two for a conversion.

Indeed, it might be worth g.ving as much as five for a try and only one lor a conversion. It seems far too much to give the same number of points for an individual kick as for the combined effort of crossing the line.

On the same analogy, perhaps three po.nts is too much for a dropped goal. What about five for a try, one for a conversion, two for a dropped goal, and one for a penalty?* Where the correspondent seems to be right, is his suggestion that no more than, one point should be given for a penalty kick. It seems ludicrous that as at present there is the same award fp’* such a kick as for a try. If you lessen the points for penalties. players will take even less notice of the rules than they already now deplorably do, but this could be taken care of by giving the referee stronger powers and the ability to award the opposing team a point without the kick having to be taken. Other suggestions put forward to *The Times” in letters include a reversion to the old 2-3-2 scrum. A London correspondent writes: “It can be safely said that at least one-third of the time is used by the abortive scrumming of the present formations and the loss of flexibility by the haffback putting the ball into the scrum so many times before it is effectively hooked.”

He says that if there is any objection to the loose wing forward put-

ting the ball in the scrum then an additional back could be played. A novel suggestion for improving the game comes from a Scottish reader who advocates the use of mittens or gloves, a custom popular in days gone by but now apparently outmoded. An Irish surgeon has given Rugby players and supporters something else to talk about by proposing that players should w’ear shin guards, shoulder protection, and that goal posts should be padded and flag posts made of rubber in order to avoid injuries.

He also advocated rubber or aluminium studs in preference to leather, and an elastic band over the ears in preference to the “old fashioned scrum cap.” The reaction? Strong men of British Rugby say: “Hands off—we like our game tough. Those who do not like it as it is can play other games.” Crack internationals, men who have had some pretty hard knocks in their time, say an emphatic “no” to “safe” Rugby. A famous international, Jackie Kyle, himself a doctor, said that the Americans in spite of all their armour got more injuries than Rugby players. The noted English forward, John Kendell-Carnenter, said: “I have not heard a Rugby man grumble yet, and I do not suppose I ever will.” And that came from a man who has had his nose and jaw broken and most of his teeth knocked out.

SCOTLAND’S 17 LOSSES

UNPRECEDENTED STEP TAKEN

THIRD TRIAL FOR GAME WITH WALES (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, Jan. 21. The Scottish Rugby Union, with 17 defeats in a row, took, what is described as the unusual and unprecedented step of arranging a third trial at Murrayfield before the Scottish team was picked to meet Wales on the same ground on February 5.

The surprise decision followed Scotland’s poor display at Colombes on January 8. when France completely outplayed The selectors summoned players from various parts of Scotland and England to take part in this additional test. The game was arranged for the dual purpose of

helping the selectors assess possible candidates for the international as well as give the players a game which otherwise would be denied them because frost still holds most of the Scottish grounds in an icy grip. Murrayfield was covered with snow, but the ground itself was playable. Straw was laid immediately after the trial as a precaution for the match with Wales. The correspondent of “The Times" says: “The task of Scotland’s international selectors has been most unenviable, and the two trials alreadly held did nothing to solve their problems. For the third trial, however, they made a fresh survey of their resources and made six changes in the team which lost to France. “The Scottish Union has been fiercely criticised since the French debacle for attempting to turn the clock back instead of moving forward with the times, and the selectors have been urged to change their minds about the 3-2-3 scrummage and the traditional forward game,” said the correspondent. France’s defeat of Scotland and the great improvement in her international standards have prompted British sports writers to emphasise how seriously the French challenge to become the holder of the Rugby championship must be taken. It is recalled that two years after the South Africans beat them 25-3, France triple tied for the championship and beat New Zealand, where only Wales of the Home Countries had previously succeeded. It is taken for granted that France is now seriously aiming for the championship with their hopes firmly based for the first time in their international football history.