NORTHERN RUGBY UNION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 19, 17 October 1907, Page 5

NORTHERN RUGBY UNION.

HOW PROFESSIONALISM CAME ON. WARNING TO THE NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION. (By Gordon Russell.) It was about tho year 1890 that a feeling of uneasiness first began to show itself in English Rugby football cirelos; and this uneasiness was strongest in tho Northern Counties, irhore for some yo*rs the handling code had been subjected to keen competition for tho public support from axponcnts of tho i.asoeiation gams. Tho latter game had progrossed in a most miraculous manner from the inception of professionalism, and as a consequence tho officials of the Rugby game experienced groat difficulty in securing promising juniors to fill the vacancies in. their teams, caused by tho rctiremont of veterans, owing to the inducements held out by various Association clubs which were ablo to offer liberal remuneration for the services of players of ability. A Rejected Contpramlse. This stato of affairs set . , tho Northern Rugby Club officials thinking, and, whilst thoy were averse to advocating professionalism, a general fooling prevailed that tho clubs should be allowed to pay reasonable oufc-of-pockct oxpenscs to their, players, many of whom belonged to tho labouring classes, and consequently were ill-able to afford the expense incurred by loss of time. At this period a number, of disqualifications had boon made by tho Rugby Union, two Yorkshire clubs suffering very severely in this respect through undeniablo evidence which proved that thoy had been in tho habit of 'illegally paying. certain of the players. After several meotings of somo of the more prominent of the Lancashire, Yorkshire, ancl Cheshire clubs, it vas resolved to bring fonvard- a motion /rhich, if carried, would hf.ve relieved tho uneasiness which prevailed; and would undoubtedly have prevented a regrettablo severance, of the strongest Rugby organisation from tho governing body. In the year 1897 the delegates of the Northern clubs, at the annual meeting of tho Rugby Union, mado an attempt to introduco a. "brokon time" system, a system which meant the payment of players for actual loas of time wliikrf; aaigagod in playing the game, the maximum payment to any player to be 6s. per day. The proposal was utrenuously opposed by the representatives) «f tho Southorn and Western Counties, in tho belief that it was an attempt to irjtroauco the thin cud of tho wedge of professionalism. A committee of tho llugby Union met in the course of 1895 and formulated several by-laws relating to professionalism, and theso were adopted in September of tho same year . The now rules had been previously published, with the result that twenty-two of the largest clubs in Cheshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire resigned their connection with the Rugby Union and formed themselves into what is known as the. Northern Rugby Union. . The. twenty-two clubs were as followsßradford, Brighouso Rangers, Batley, Bronghton Rangers, Halifax, Hunslet, Hull,: Huddersfield, Leeds, Loigh, Oldham, Rochdalo Hornets, .Runiorn, St. Helens, 'Salford, Swinton, Wakefield, Trinity, Warrington, Wigan, and St. Helens.

Mo Shams. The Northern Rugby Union did not at first idopt professionalism, hit for sovcral years remained an amateur organisation - on . the basis; howevor, that tho amateur was allowed to receive payment for broken timo, at the :ato suggested by the clubs of tho Rujmv Union. Subsequently .owing to tho dearth of players of ability (it looked as if - the Rugby gamo: would die out altogether in the S T orth), professionalism was legalised by the Northern Union; and the handling game at >nco got a now lease of life. A general idea )rovails in New Zealand that all players tnder tho Northern Rugby Union aro nrofasiionals j but this is not the case, as both amaienrs and professionals play tho game, and tre found playing together, in tho same ;cams. But (ho amateur of the Northern !tugby Union is bona fide an amatour, and lot a professional in disguiso, tho samo as !OTne - amateur crieketors and other amateur P Tho following rule, takon from tho Northern Rugby Union Rulo Book, will suffico.to show low clear is-the dividing lino between ama;eurs and professionals: — 1 . ■ ■■ "A professional is a player who receives remuneration over and abovo travelling oxpensos -actually paid, and clubs shall only ,-bo permitted to ' register players as'professionals who • aro in receipt of actual payment-for playing football." Dth'cr stringent rules may be quoted:— "No professional, shall be allowed ' to receive wages during tho^closo season, or during suspension." ; "No professional shall be allowed ■ to servo on the. committee of the union, or on-, the committeo of any union, or represent his own or any other club or union at any meeting of this union."' ' ' "In order to prevent any attempt on the part of players (amateur or professional). or clubs to evade'these ' laws, the committee shall be em'powered to make, any investigation, at which they: may . demand any . documents, books, or evidence, and in all cases tho onus of proof shajl be with tho playor or club impli- ■' cated." • ' From the foregoing.it will bo seen,that the 'bogus amateur" has little chancei of'existng under the Northern Rugby .JJnion. Efiect of the Severance. ■ The Northern Rugby Union has some 240 dubs of standing'under its jurisdiction, the principal clubs being those which form tho 'Northern Rugby ' League" (theso clubs guaranteed tho sum for the 1 New Zealand irofessi'onals), and in addition to theso -are Tumorous JunioT clubs also affiliated to the Northern Rugby Union. An impression appears to prevail in New Zealand that tho main strength of the Northern Union lies in Yorkshire,. but tho •esults of the County Championships since ihe inception of the Union does not bear ;his out, as, including season 1905-6 (tho atest year for which statistics,aro available), ;he -County Championship has been held six ;imos by Lancashire, threo times by Yorkshire, and once (1905-6) Lancashire and Cheshire tied for the honour. That the secession of tho clubs forming ;ho Northern Rugby Union from the Rugby Onion has had n disastrous effect on the standard of play .of tho English Rugby Union s beyund question, as a reference to the ;ablo appearing bolow will show. This was mly to bo expected, as previous to tho disruption the English international teams in;luded a preponderance of Northorn men, as the following instances will show. In season 1893 tho English team against Wales consisted of six men from Yorkshire, three from Lancashire, one oach from Durham and Staffordshire, the Southerners being threo from Blacklieath and ono from Gloucestershire. A.gainst Scotland the English team included seven men from Ybrkshiro, four from Lancashire, ' and one from each of ; the Counties Durham, Stafford, Somerset, and Gloucester. In the same season the North v. South match was won by the former by four goals, one try, to trro goals, one try; and in tire Oouilty Championship Yorkshire scenred first position, Bet having unstained a defeat, and Lancu»hiro and K«nt wero bracketed for second place. In tho match 'Cftemmon County versus, Rest' »f England ' Yorkshire necnred tho viofory by two trios to sil. An interesting series ot _ contests occurred in tho samo soason which is worthy of note. The "Barbarians," tho aristocratic Rugby combination of England, challenged the "Corinthians," tho aristocratic amateur association team, to play two rjiatches, 0110 under rules and tho other under Association rules, and to contest a series of fithletic events. As both these teams arc composed mainly of university men, the competition roused some enthusiasm, tho Association team being declared the ultimate winners, having won both football matches and sccurcd a groatcr percentage of tho athletic events.

•i Striking Comparison. In the international contests of tlio followng season Yorkaliiro again had a prepondermco of representatives in the English team, 10 less than six of tho "Tykes" donning the orsoy in the Scotland match, whilst three jthiT representatives wore' Northerners. I'orkshire again secured tho County Championship, and defeated tho. "Rust of England" Ijy ono try to nil.; and in tho following year Yorkshire again obtained premici honours, bnt suffered defeat from the "Res! m England" team by two goals, two trios, ti three tries. In tho year ISB6 the record of tho Englisl Rugby Union in international contests wai us followsr . . England v. Played. Won. Lost. Drawn. Scotland ... 22 8 7 7 Ireland ... 19 16 2 1 Wales ... 12 9 2 1 . Grand total 53 33 11 9 Ten years later, for season 1906-7, tin rccord stands: — England v. Played. Won. Lost. Drawn. Scotland ... 34 11 14 9 Ireland ... 31 19 11 1 Wales 1 ... 25 13 10 2 Grand total 90 43 . 35 12 Thus since the secession of tho Northeri :!übs England has played 37 matches, o. r;hich .10 were won, 24 lost, and 3 drawn During that period England has been dc i'eated 7 times by Scotland, 9 times by. Ire land, and 3 times by Wales; and in turn sli' has defeated Scotland and Ireland each tlirei times and Wales four times, tho rcmaiiiin; three matches having been drawn. Hie Moral. - . From tho foregoing it will be seen that tin defection of tho Northern clubs from tin English Rugby Union has.been a great blov is England, and it would be wiso of tho Ncv Zealand Rugby Union to .take timely warn ing if that body desires to retain control o tho gamo in the Dominion. M&ny_ ban words have been said of the "professionals' who are now doing honour to the land o their birth in that portion of the Mothe Country which is more closely associate! urith New Zealand than any other portion o His Majesty's Empire, inasmuch as -as quantities of our wool arc purchased by thYorkshire wool buyers, whilst the operative of Lancashire and Yorkshire are great con turners of Now Zealand mutton. But ther is one thing to be said in favour of Baskor riUc's team ,and that is that not a sing! member Ims gone Home at the public ox pensc, and it is not probable that tho tsar will be any oost to tho Colonial Treasurer ar. tho last toora" was; which, owing to th misguided idea of tho lato Premier, «ost th State the rum of £1063 17s. lid. (althougl tho team produced a handsome rovenuo i the New Zealand Rugby Union), which sun could havo boon bettor spent in providiiij some settlers in the backblocks with a tracl to their' homestea'ds. Tho question naturally arises as to whetho professional football is justified, and a logics answer is that as ability, is recognised i: every sphero of life—tako tho - professions singer, professional' cricketer,, professions rider, billinrdist, etc. —tljo footballer of ex coptional ability is also entitled to recogni tion by tho public, and so long as gat monoy is taken at football matchcs tho mei who draw tho crowds aro. certainly justifiei in demanding a sharo of what they produce It is certainly somewhat of an anomaly tha tho English Rugby Union recognises proves •ional reforces, but declines to concede.th right t-o pay players for.thoir services. Bu t-horo is another aspect of tho case. Ever; person in the Dominion would probably pre for to 2Go bona fido amateurs if possible, bu tho present definition of amatour has provc( unworkable in England, and is unworkable ii Now Zealand. - ' Compromlso Mectfed. ' The New Zealand Rugby Union -selcct. men to represent tho Dominion in Australia and tlioso meif consequently are absent fron their employment for about a month. It i not reasonable to expect employers to bfeU: tho cost of their, employees! holiday, lieithei is it fair to ask the man who is sent to.up hold the honour of his'country, cither oil tin playing- field or the battlefield, to fino himscl: to the extent of a month's salary, say, eigh' pounds, as a low estimato. If some rul< conld be drafted to admit of paying tin player for his loss of time without forfoitint his amateui' .status, then the Now'Zqalauc Rugby Union would-bo doing a good tiling ii tho interests of tho game, and such a stc] would have tho cffect of blocking "profos sionalism.'' if public sentiment is against professionalism. If the Now Zealand Rugb; Union officials do not take some such step ■: hen they will see a repetition of what hai occurred in England. Tho Association game which is already progressing rapidly in popu larity, will provo a.factor in ousting thi handbag code, and in tho end "open profes sionalism" will havo to bo adopted, other wiso the Rugby gamo will ceaso to bo plavec in Now Zealand.- Everyone admits that Mr W. M'Kcnzie is an authority on Rugby foot ball as played under -English Rugby Unioi rules, but that ho is an . authority of the Northern Rugby Union gamo is open to verj grave doubts, consequently his description o tho Now Zealand -professionals as ''only i mediocro combination" need not bo takei soriously. On the other hand, Mr. Baskcr villc, who ii evidently well versed in th< nicotics of ■ the Northern gamo, _ and hai probably booh well advised by officials of tin Northern Union, makes out a'very good ease for the professionals, and so far his viow! have been justified. That tho' Northern game is a "rackhorso gamo, as -described by Mr. M'Kenzie; is be yond question, and herein lies tho danger t( the New Zealand Rugby Union, as oneo tlx game gets a start in the Dominion it wil soon becomo popular with the public by reason of the freedom from waste of time ii tho abolition of tho "lino-out, which has re suited in the ball boing more continually ir play and less in touch. A Prophecy of Success. As to Mr. M'Kenzie's adverse criticism oi the team, and gratuitous unmerited sneer ai Australians, "critics" have frequently beet wrong, and two instances need only b( quoted to show what rclianco may bo placec an tho prophecies of some of these outhorities. First, it will be within tho memory oi most lovers of sport, and of cricket, in particular, that tho first season Victor Trumpei wont to England he wAs sent practically ai an omergency his\.expenses wore guaranteed by public subscribers, and lie had t< agree to accept a lessor proportion of -t-h( proceeds' than othor mombors of the team but his brilliant success at Home forced the "thon rulers of Australian cricket" to recognise his ability and to conccdo his right tt equal share in the sport. . "Rio sccpnd instanco occurred in the last cricket team captained by Mr. A. C. M'Laren, which visitec Australia. Southern writers at that time wrote so bitterly against M'Laren anc Barnes (tho latter never even having gaincc county honours) as to say- that the only tw( who wero not fit to represent England in-the combination woro M'Laren ; and Barnes whereas tho former proved' the backbono oi tho team in tho batting department, and th< latter, until ho injured his leg at Adolaido was the mainstay of tho-' .trundling branch That tho New Zealand professionals wil strivo to make a name is admitted, and the ability of the individual mombors justifies anticipations that tlioy will win from 50 t-c 60 per cent, of tho club matches, and wil probably secure tho larger percentage of th< representative games, as, . although ,th( Northern Rircby Union representatives rri! be undoubtedly' smart- individual players they will lack that combination Tvhiclj t-]io Dominionitcn will possess as a result of c'ohthraons plajißE together.