Last Sour Note—And Lesson For N.Z. Rugby

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31170, 21 September 1966, Page 19

Last Sour Note—And Lesson For N.Z. Rugby

(By

R. T. BRITTENDEN)

The last sour note in a singularly unhappy New Zealand Rugby season was struck by the statement of Vivian Jenkins in the “Sunday Times.” when he said that not one member of the British Lions touring team wanted to return to New Zealand to play Rugby.

Mr Jenkins commands a considerable following as a Rugby writer, and his views on playing performances must be respected.

But there is every reason to believe that he has been guilty of exaggeration. (Already another British Rugby writer, the former Scottish international halfback. Tremayne Rodd, who reported the Lions’ tour, has described Jenkins’s statement as “nonsense”.) The Welsh are as fervent about Rugby as New Zealanders, and it is highly unlikely that if some of the 11 Welshmen in the 1966 team are

(chosen for the tour by Wales 'in 1969, they will refuse to I tour. One, at least, is deter- ! mined to come back as a ! player, and has said so to a I New Zealand Rugby writer.

j Much of what Mr Jenkins ■ had to say about New Zealand Rugby, however, was embaraccurate, never | more so than when he referred to the over-emphasis on winning. I Before the tour ended the I Lions’ captain, M. J. Camp-bell-Lamerton, said that people who regarded New Zealand Rugby as dirty did not know what went on in I other countries. i It was a strange sort of statement, made when Camp-bell-Lamerton was probably (trying to pour some oil on troubled waters. His attitude could be commended: his I views could not. Irrelevant Whether the Welsh, the! Irish and the others indulge! more frequently in punching! and kicking opponents than (New Zealanders is open to doubt, and is at any rate, irrelevant. The Lions’ manager (Mr Di J O’Brien) said that in nearly! ! every provincial side in New Zealand there was a “rogue male” who sparked ofif the foul play. Whether there are two of them in every English county team or not should not diminish the determination of New Zealand Rugby authorities to stamp out rough and dangerous acts. The Lions’ tour, and the; incidents in many of the! matches, certainly drew particular attention to rough: Rugby, but it would be! ostrich-like to ignore the fact that such practices run! through New Zealand Rugby,! from school to provincial! level. The All Blacks’ selector

and coach, Mr F. R. Allen, I did the game good service by insisting that members of the New Zealand team who were jguilty of foul practices would be dropped from the side. In the tests, there were very I few unpleasant incidents. j But surely it was condemnation of the whole attitude of New Zealand Rugby players that a man in so senior a post should have to express himself in those terms. Coaches Blamed Rugby administrators have something to answer for, and so have the referees who have given too much latitude to hooligans. It may well be, however, that the most serious contribution to New Zealand’s lack of Rugby ethics has been made bv coaches. If they all took Mr Allen’s line, all would be well.

But for many of them, the victory of the team is a personal triumph, so that a proficient player will be retained. even if he shows an utter lack of restraint and sportsmanship. It may be very difficult to persuade young New Zealanders that Rugby should be regarded as a game, and not a battle. But whatever disappointments the 1966 season has brought, it may at least have shown administrators, coaches and players that a change of heart is highly necessary.

Rugby Team —The Canterbury B Rugby team to play South Canterbury at Lancaster Park on Saturday is:—G. Waterreus: N. J. O’Brien, K. Gimblett, W. J. Thompson: J. R. Adams. W Tapsell: M Brown: J. Kirby; D. Wilson. M. Perkins, D. Wyn. R. Inwood: W. Scott, M. Sheehan. J F Burns. Reserves D. T. Davison, A. Harrison, J. Newlove, R. Eastmond, A. McLelland, D. Bartlett.