LETTER BOX

Press, Volume C, Issue 29536, 10 June 1961, Page 5

LETTER BOX

University Rugby "It. is obvious that some people base derogatory criticism on incorrect facts. In pointing this out I would like to make clear that the facts put forward by B. FAIR were far from the truth The Lincoln College A Rugby team, this year, has won one game by default, tor which, I might add. most of the players gave up some of their holidays to be present. The game was against an outside Ellesmere club team, many of whom were away duck shooting on that day. With regard to the match between the A and B teams. It was fairly contested and resulted in a decisive win tor the A side. 37-o.’’ E. D Wikaira, president. C A C R F C. "As a result of a letter from B Fair in your sporting page on Wednesday last I feel constrained to write my first letter to a newspaper. The competition points in the Ellesmere Rugby competition are not five points to Lincoln College A and five points to Leeeton as shown by your correspondent, but Lincoln College 10 points and Leeston nine. 7T>e second inaccurate statement by your correspondent is that Lincoln College B did not default to Lincoln College A. Lincoln College A had a most enjoyable game against the B team. The team which defaulted was the Lincoln senior team which, some 10 minutes after the scheduled storting time, found it had insufficient players to form a team. This illustrates the difficulties encountered in country football. Some three or tour teams in the Ellesmere sub-union would do well in the city competition; others would be outclassed, but it is to their credit that they continue to

field a team under great difficulties. Your correspondent’s remarks about university football are obviously biased. The trouble is that university football, wtueh is synonymous in my mind with she Kiwi army team style is rarely seen today After looking at several games m Christchurch in 1960 and 1961 I have come to the conchision that the “play-the-man."' “kick4tor-4tie-line'’ style is almoin universal. The only club team I saw pilay university style football was Christchurch. Many have turned to other winter sports and one cannot blame them in view of toe unsatisfying type of game provided in much of our Rucby today I would invite B. Fair and snv other enthusiast for real Rugby to come to Lincoln on Wednesday and see some university Rugby when Lincoln College plays Otaso University in toe annual game—H E GARRETT. Coach, Lincoln College Ist Canadian Rugby "I acknowledge the letter of Ham on your sports page re British Columbia Rugby. I have already gained Information re the Shawnigau Lake School team’s tour in England. A few months ago I read that the English Rugby Union bad asked British Columbia to select an ''AH Canada” side for a tour in the four Home countries. Now as a matter of historical record. British Columbia was the only Rugby Union in the world to acknowledge a parcel of my Unicom Rugby Register. And toe only one to forward me authentic records of its schools’ Rugby. So why bother about Argentina, when British Columbia has been valiantly keeping the Rugby flag flying for All Canada?"—R. M. Thomson.