RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 447, 4 March 1909, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

ANOTHER HOME TOUR MOOTED, LEGALITY Of PAYING PLAYERS. According to the "Football Editor" of tho Loudon "Sportsman" it has been definitely decided by tho Welsh Rugby Union to take the iniativo in extending an invitation to the next side of colonial players to visit Great Britain. "I am in a position to stato authoritatively," ho remarks, "that the Welsh Union will, in tho near future, if they Jiavo not already done so, ask tho co-operation of tho English, Scottish, and Irish unions in proposing to the New Zealand Union that tlio last-named body should send over a team to tour Great Britain in tho season of 1910-11. It is probable that the English ITmon will bo first approached, What action tlio Scottish and Irish Unions will take in joining forces can only be surmised, but as thoy declined to bo associated with tho tour of tho Australians, it is probable that Scotland, at any rato, may hold aloof from taking an interested part in the proposed tour of New Zealanders. Dealing with tho stand, likely to bo taken by the English Union, I do not expect for one moment that they will accept unanimously the offer of tho Welshmen, as there is a certain section who are opposed to all colonial tours, yet I havo little doubt that in the end the English Union will fall in with the Welsh Union's ideas of tho proposed visit. Had it been suggested that the New Zealaiulers should como over next season there is 110 question that the English Union would not for one moment have entertained any such compact, but as it is intimated that tho proposed visit shall take place the following season it may bo taken for granted that tho 'All Blacks will ho seen in England and Wales at any rato in 1310 and 1911. "Tho 'All Blacks' will," he continues, "be remembered as tho first of the colonial teams who camo over and literally confounded the Kugby game as then played in this country, the only defeat of the tour—and that a dubious one—received by the visitors being at the hands t •'.points. No undue praiso will, I think, be given to that party of tourists when I say it is generally admitted that the .New Zoalanders would be placed first in order of football merit in comparison with (he South' African and Australian teams. There is littlo doubt that the tour of the 'All Blacks' did a lot of good in many ways, as 99 out of every 100 persons will tell you that the general standnrd of English play showed marked improvement after that visit, and also increased interest has been since taken in the game by tho public. No doubt an official announcement will be forthcoming in the near future." Among those who took part in the recent discussion at Home as to the legality of making a weekly payment to players on tour was Mr. C. Wray Palliser, representative of tho Now Zealand Rugby Union in London. Writing to tho London "Sportsman," Mr. Wray Miser asked to be allowed to put certain questions which, if answered, would, he thought, throw considerable light on the position of affairs then existing between the English and the Scottish Unions. His questions were as under:— 1. Why did Scotland refuse to give New Zealand a small guarantee for the match at Inverloith in November, 1905?

2. Why did Scotland instead offer tho whole of the "gate" to New Zealand before she had ascertained the strength of the "All Blacks"? 3. Why did Scotland, after finding out the strength of the "All Blacks" and the likelihood o'f a large "gate" at once set to -work to cut down tho usual International fixed prices for entrance money and seat prices by one-half? L Why did Scotland not "cap" her team? 5. Why did Scotland show no courtesy to her guests on the field of play or by meeting them at the social arranged for in the evening after the match?

G. Why_ did Scotland run the risk of the match being abandoned through tho ground being left unprotected from frost? » 7. Why did Scotland's representative and the referee visit the frozen ground on the morning of the match without asking a representative from tho visiting team to attend also?

In conclusion Mr. Wray Palliserobserved:— Mombers of colonial teams visiting this country require to make great personal sacrifices by the necessity of giving up their regular employment for that purpose. We have not the leisured class in the colonies that there is in this country, and to say that because the colonists received 3s. a day they should be branded as professionals as having made money out of the tour is to cast a very serious slur on a body of' amateurs who come to this country solely for the express purpose of seeing their 'homo', and playing the game of football as they have learnt .it in their distant lands beyond the seas. We are keen football players in Ne>v Zealand, and amateurs under the New Zealand Rugby Union to the back bone, and it will be a sorry day for us all if the action of 'little' Scotland should prevent that splendid bond of Imperialism in sport which steam has now rendered possible by these International invasions, and which have within the last five years been so successful, leading, as they have, to so many excellent results. I am not, however, without hope that the present difficulty may be smoothed over, and that we shall have the ways made smooth for many visits from our colonies in the future, ana that Scotland will lot bygones be bygones, and give us the chance of again playing lier at Invcrleith."

Upon the decision of the Emergency Committee having been made known, tho "Sportsman" commented as follows:—It was thought that th'-s Rugby Union reply migat be too moderate in tone. We can, however, now congratulate the union on a trenchant and dignified note, withal perfectly courteous, which will give the Scottish Union pause to think. Quite rightly, we consider, the Emergency Committee has refused to regard this 3s. per day or Jil Is. per week as an act of professionalism. They liavo taken a liberal and sensible, view of the whole question. Three shillings per day, it is stated, is an irreducible minimum. Those who havo toured abroad will thoroughly agree in this statement. Should every item of a player's personal expenses bo checked? Or should bo be given a small daily sum to cover the same? Would the Scottish Union have the players continually troubling the manager of a tour for all sorts of petty items, reckoning no payment legal which he did not directly disburse? It must be remembered that the manager is tho most hardworked member of tho party. The travelling, the hotel, the match arrangements all fall to his lot, in addition to frequent interviews, much letter writing, and much entertainment.' His duties have been known to keep him occasionally occupied twenty hours out of the twen-ty-four. Tho writer recalls that Mr. Dixon, the manager of the "All Blacks" of 1900, once remarked: "Well, I nover knew what this tour meant. I havo never worked so hard in my life. I shall be glad when it is all over." Mr. Dixon never spared himself in the service of his team; ho was a most conscientious and energetic man of business. Had there been no allowance his duties would have been trebled. It is a great convenience, and ensures a saving of t considerable time and lunch vexation of spirit for a manager- to be able to hand over this oCI Is. per week, or 14s. per week, as was tho case in the last British tour, rather than be troubled, with many bills aud slips. And, after all, a manager who gives his services is entitled to every consideration. It has been suggested that out of .£1 Is. per week it might bo possiblo to save something. Wellpossibly to a Scotsman. But hardly to anyone else. Many of the Now Zealand team brought the greater part of their savings with them to cover general expenses. We can imagine that each of tho South Africans—that gallant band of splendid sportsmen—also found their personal touring expenses much above what was actually allowed. ■ In fact, it would require the most rigid economy (o undertake any colonial tour without the provision of at least .£3O over and above this much-talked-of one guinea."