Control Of Rugby

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 242, 9 July 1938, Page 13

Control Of Rugby

Sir, —Ever since the Springbok tour, there has been general dissatisfaction in New Zealand with the standard of Rugby football, and the state of the game generally. That there are various causes for this condition of affairs is of course obvious, and one cause most definitely is in the management and control of the game. Of this there has been an outstanding instance during the last week. A message from Auckland in "The Dominion” this, morning deals very fully and clearly with the lack of foresight displayed by the authorities in connection with the departure of the All Black side for Australia. Here we have an All Black side assembling in Wellington, and finding that no arrangements have been made for their accommodation. Surely, Mr. Editor, this points to mismanagement on somebody’s part. The Rugby Union knew the sailing date weeks ago, and there can. tie no excuse for reservations not being made for the members of the team. We are told that doubt existed as to just when all the members of the gide would arrive in Wellington. Could not the Rugby Union have set a definite date for assembling, and if one or two members had been , unable to arrive, the night before sailing, would the expense of paying for those rooms have involved the Rugbv Union in any great loss? It would seem that the Rugby Union are not greatly concerned with the comfort and well-being of the team. This failure to arrange accommodation and to make satisfactory travelling arrangements for an All Blaek side, is no new thing. Anybody closely connected with the game will recall that, when the last British team was in New Zealand, a similar thing occurred before the fourth Test match in Wellington. On this occasion the New Zealand side was to go into camp at Otaki. On the Monday morning before the match, local players did not know how they were to travel to Otaki, or the time of their departure. The manager of the South Island contingent was equally ignorant. The railway authorities bad, however, been advised that the team was to travel on one of the morning express trains, leaving Wellington, and had attached a special carriage to the train. The players had not been advised of this, and finally the team travelled to Otaki by a slow train. Then when the team returned to Wellington on the Friday, it was found that no accommodation had been booked for the local members of the team. This was because the local players were expected to go home. A team, which has been in camp for a week, should not be partially disbanded on the eve of the match. Accommodation was ultimately found for these players with the rest of the side. One other thing which calls for comment in the present case is the fact that Johnny Dick, the Auckland wing-three-quarter, received his first intimation that he was" not to go to Australia when he read the news in the paper. A day or so after this was published in the paper the chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union stated that a letter had been sent to Dick expressing regret that he could not accompany the team, but surely, sir. a player whq is considered worthy to represent his country might have been accorded ‘■he courtesy of a telegram advising him of the decision, before the fact appeared in print. In n footnote to the Auckland message Mr. S. S. Dean stated that he would not comment on such rubbish, and that he wished people would sign their names to complaints. I submit, sir, that this is not rubbish, and that the above are cold facts, and T have very much pleasure in appending my name. —I am, etc.. D. A. SYME. Wellington. Julv S.