Firm Stand Taken

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31206, 2 November 1966, Page 15

Firm Stand Taken

’THE decision of the man--1 agement of the Australian Rugby team now touring Britain to send home R. Cullen for allegedly biting an opponent in the game against Oxford University has shown the ambivalence of many Rugby followers to the question of rough Rugby. When Mr W. J. McLaughlin (manager of the Wallabies) announced at the beginning of the tour that he would not tolerate rough play his statement was welcomed. But now that he has taken, with the apparent concurrence of the assistant manager (Mr A. Roper) and the captain (J. E. Thornett), such a drastic step as removing a player from the tour there has been some criticism for what is re-

garded in some quarters as a precipitate action. Mr McLaughlin’s forthright action can only be commended. Nothwithstanding the rights and wrongs of the incident at Oxford, Mr McLaughlin did not shelter behind the pretence that there had been provocation and that a wrong immediately cancelled out another wrong.

There will be some sympathy for Cullen. He perhaps was the flash point in the rough Rugby furnace which for some years has been approaching close to explosion. No doubt many other players have committed similar, and, even worse sins, but in this case an example was made and it was an example which may have a lasting effect.

Too often Rugby officials have played polite lip service to criticism of rough Rugby by stating that “we will not condone it,” “reerees will be given every support if they send men off,” and no doubt they have been sincere in their statements. But how many times has practice supported theory?

Now that one person in authority has made a stand —and a very firm one at that—others may be prepared to follow. Once players, and particularly the “rogue males” that the Lions manager (Mr D. J. O'Brien) so aptly described, realise that hooliganism on the field will not be tolerated then the game will be all the better.