Coach sought to take team off

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32663, 20 July 1971, Page 1

Coach sought to take team off

The coach of an under--15 Rugby team asked the referee of a game on Saturday if he could take his players from the field before the finish.

Mr G. Tait, who coaches the St Andrew’s College under 15 grade team, said that three of his players had been taken off injured during a match against Hornby at Denton Park. “All were the results of kicking,” said Mr Tait last .evening. “One was severely .concussed, another had a : badly bruised back after falling on the ball, and the third had his leg lacerated.

“My boys were scared on Saturday—there was just so much kicking and more punching than you would see in 15 rounds in a boxing ring.

“When I asked the referee if I could take the team off to prevent more of them being injured, he said he would discuss it with me after the game,” said Mr Tait.

"It was no fun, it was not Rugby, and it was not enjoyable. There is just too much of this, and I have written to the Canterbury Rugby Union setting out what happened on Saturday,” Mr Tait said.

“Everyone pretends it doesn’t happen. But dirty play is prevalent, particularly in the under 15 grade. This is the third or fourth

time we have struck this sort of thing. “Also,” said Mr Tait, “there were other unpleasant facets to the game. There was drinking on the sideline, threatening and abusive remarks passed, and the father of one of my boys was assaulted after the game. “Club officials appeared to do nothing about it.” Mr Tait also claimed that the card system was hopeless. “The 15 names written on the card often bear no relationship to those who take the field,” said Mr Tait: And, he concluded, “referees seem reluctant to deal with dirty play. The referee on Saturday even said to me: “It’s not much use us taking action; you get no support’.” The referee (Mr J. M. Brem-

ner) said he had no comment to make; and the president of the Canterbury Rugby Referees’ Association (Mr D. J. Cunningham) said he had not heard of a written report on the game and could not comment.

The president of the Hornby club, Mr T. R. D. Webster, said that his club would make no comment on the issue. “If the St Andrew’s coach complains, and goes through the right channels, I will make a statement then,” said Mr Webster. “I saw most of the match, and if it is brought up at the union meeting tomorrow evening”—Mr Webster is a member of the management committee—“l will tell them what I saw.”