UNIVERSAL GAME WANTED.

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 50, 27 August 1921, Page 12

UNIVERSAL GAME WANTED.

With reference to the remarks, made at Auckland" by Mr; H. 0. Bennett, manager of the South. African 'team, concealing th» amended Rugby rules, the Auckland Herald had the following :— Some outspoken remarks in regardi to Rugby rules were made by 3Tr. H. 0. Bennett, manager of, the Springboks, at the dinner given by the New Zealand Rugby Union on Saturday evening. Referring to the amendments which, originated in Auckland, Mr. Bennett said: he had heard it said that Auckland was progressing, so far as Rugby was concerned, andi that South. Africa and the United Kingdom represented to a certain extent the conservative view. He must say that, after his experience in New Zealand, ho wondered if it was not so much progression as obsession. Ha would leave it at that. Possibly, before ho left New Zealand, his views might alter. So far as South. Africa vra& concerned, tho game was quite satisfactory, aa it was. to players and; spectators alike. The team had been instructed by the South African Board to play .strictly under the rules sanctioned ,53£ tfee .Esglieh .Bugba. UaLos. HftzaMS-.

nised the Auckland team that afternoon; was under a disadvantage, for it had been accustomed to playing under the a-mendied ruka, and that might have accounted for the difference in the scores. He felt strongly that if Rugby waslai game worth, playing surely it should be played undier cne> set of rules. "If you can convince us that the amendments are in the interests of the Rugby game, in the interests of the amateur game, well and good, but if yoai cannot convince us hang back until you can," Mr, Bennett said. "Wait.until we wEo, according to you, are conservative, have had enough experience to come up to you. I simply say this for the sake of the game, because there should be one universal game throughout the Empire."