Getting Back “The Ashes”

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 6, 2 October 1937, Page 7

Getting Back “The Ashes”

Sir, —Two items in “Do-, minion” are worthy of comparison. One is an extract from a speech by Mr. 11. B. Lusk, of Auckland, in which he criticises the partisanship of the crowd at last Saturday’s Test match. The other ia a letter from Mr. G. F. Moore, of Bushy Park, telling us exactly why we lost. If Mr. Moore’s views are typical of other New Zealand sportsmen, there is hope for the future. At tile moment our heads are bowed witli shame and mortification. We have been beaten I Just think of the disgrace. Thank goodness, as Mr. Moore suggests, the remedy is an easy one. League and Soccer must cease at once. We have never been world beaters at these two games, anyway. It is shocking the way in which two such players as Nepia and Cooke have been allowed to earn a living in such a low-toned professional sphere as League, and what is the sense of allowing our Association footballers to be beaten by Englishmen, Canadians and Australians?

Tindall has been allowed to go to England and play cricket, another futile game, when he should have been helping our All Blacks to win at all costs. Why, even county teams beat our cricketers, so the tour must have been a failure. We must stand firm, we Rugby spectators, and insist upon our lads playing Rugby football only, from the cradle upward, irrespective of their personal fancies.

Then we shall be able to watch our invincible All Blacks trampling Springboks, Englishmen and Waratahs underfoot every time we play them, and there will be no need for such unfair tactics as praying for rain, wing-forwards or training camps. I hope I am dead by then! —I am. etc., PLAYER. Wellington, September 30.