ALL BLACK DEFEATS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 152, 24 March 1938, Page 13

ALL BLACK DEFEATS

Too Much Importance Being Attached TENDENCY TO BELITTLE PLAYERS Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, March 23. “It seems to me that many people are attaching too much importance to the defeat of the All Blacks by the Springboks and are allowing themselves to be stampeded to a certain extent," said Mr. A. M. Ongley, president of the Manawatu Rugby Union, at the annual meeting to-night. •‘There seems to be a tendency to belittle players. We did not hear anything like that in the old days, and it was only after we were beaten by the Springboks that criticism was aroused. No one heard it after s the North-South match. However after the All Blacks were beaten in tv»£ Tests some were of the opinion that New Zealand football had slipped, and suggestions were made that the game should be made rougher. “I do not think there is any case for blame on’the players; if there is any blame it is on the executive. The team was not beaten because of individuals, but because the system of play broke down.”

Mr. Ongley said the defeat by the Springboks mattered very little except that success always made the game popular. After all the union’s main desire was to provide good, healthy, energetic exercise for those who wanted it, and it did not matter who won. If the only way of beating South Africa was by making the game rougher it would be a very hollow victory. “DISINTEGRATION OF GAME” Hastings President’s Comment Dominion Special Service. Hastings, March 23. “The type of game we play to-day is not the type we exploited in South .Africa in 1928. The lesson learned by South Africa on that tour brought them their successes here last year,” said Mr. G. A. Maddison, president of the Hastings Rugby Football SubUnion, at the general annual meeting held last night. Mr. Maddison said he believed that the kick into touch rule had been largely responsible for the disintegration of the game and it had been recommended, he said, that the rule be eliminated. He considered that the new constitution of the New Zealand Rugby Union had been well worth while giving wider representation to the various unions.

The following ■ officers were elected: Patron, Mr. G. A. Maddison; president, Mr. C. H. Bunker; vice-presidents, Messrs. C. J. Baker, A. R. Mclvor and R. M. Hewitt; management committee, Messrs. J. Seed, R. Tapper, E. S. Craven, S. K. Kingston, G. Reeves, E. J. Wall, W. Lochhead, A. Kirkpatrick, D. G. Graham (Referees’ Association), W. Edwards (Maori representative), and M. Beuth (primary schools’ representative) ; secretary, Mr. W. Burnett; treasurer, Mr. F. H. Corbin; auditors, Rainbow, Hobbs and Nesbitt; solicitor, Mr. W. S. Bramwell; selectors, Messrs. A. Kirkpatrick, sen., and W. Lochhead, jun. ; representative on Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union management committee. Mr. IV. Lochhead; delegates to the annual meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union, Messrs. A. R. Mclvor, R. Tapper and E. J. Wall.