Mediocre Performances By Most Senior Rugby Teams

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29901, 15 August 1962, Page 13

Mediocre Performances By Most Senior Rugby Teams

'T'HE senior Rugby com--1 petition ended' on a satisfactory note when Universi‘y played Christchurch last Saturday, but the game was one of the few bright patches of a club season in which mediocrity has been the rule rather than the exception.

University’s performance in winning all its games undoubtedly was the highlight of the season, but it was a highlight for the record book. Although University at all times was a most competent team, only in five or six matches did it produce the Rugby expected of it.

Christchurch, too. added something to the season—its willingness to play open Rugby was always in evidence and together with University, the team set a standard of performance that was far ahead of the other club teams. An examination of the points scored by the top six teams reveals just how more accomplished were Christchurch and University than the remainder. Univers ty scored 287 points and Christchurch 252. Then there was an abrupt drop to Shirley with 146 points—just more than half the

number University scored in the same number of matches. It must be a cause for concern to Rugby officials that New Brighton, no.withstanding its fine effort this season, could come third in the senior competition and score only 132 points—little more than eight points a game, with the other three teams scoring just a few more points Tlie dwindling attendances at Lancaster Park are probably the best indication that spectators are disappointed with the standard of club Rugby Last year, attendances at matches between University, Marist and Linwood drew crowds up to 7000 This year no club match has had a larger crowd than 5000. Whon faomc fhnn

When teams other than University and Christchurch were playing on the oval, the attendances dropped right away to little more than 2000—an indication that Rugby followers were not prepared to watch teams which could not reach

a reasonable standard. The scoring table shows that too many teams in the senior grade are concerned with avoiding loss by as small a margin as possible. This attitude, which is stifling club Rugby, will have to alter if senior Rugby is to continue as a spectator attraction. University’s dominance in recent years may have taken some of the interest from club Rugby, but it is just as certain that on the results in recent years only Christchurch of the other

teams has had the capacity to play attractive winning Rugby. None of the other clubs has displayed the ability necessary to draw spectators. If there is to be a resurgence of interest in club Rugby the answer lies with the clubs themselves. A far more positive approach to matches and perhaps the placing of a greater degree of faith in attacking play seem required. With the exception of a few matches, the representative games alone draw spectators; and judging from the relatively small crowds at the first two matches of the season, there is not a great deal of interest there either.