SELECTION METHODS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 116, 20 May 1925, Page 11

SELECTION METHODS

"UNFAIR TO THE PLAYERS"

EXCLUSION OF 1924 RUGBY REPRESENTATIVES.

The action of the New Zealand selector's in excluding members of the 1924 New Zealand Rugby team from consideration for places in the team to visit New South Wales this season was discussed at last night's meeting of the Wellington Rugby Union's Management Committee. Mr. A. J. Griffiths mentioned that local clubs had not been called upon to nominate players for this year's New Zealand team. "Is there any reason for "that?" he asked. 1 The chairman (Mr. J. Prendeville): "None whatever." ' '

Mr. G. F. W, Jackson pointed out that there was not much time before the nominations were required by the New Zealand Union.

The Chairman: '.'lt -was partly a question of time, and partly because the response from clubs last year fornomina- ;- tions for the Homo tour was not as good as we would have liked." Mr. Griffiths: "The point is this, that at the annual meeting o£ delegates it was decided that members of last year s New Zealand team should be considered for inclusion in this year's|'team if available. The. selectors have seen fit to exclude them. 'By their exclusion of members of the 1924 team tho selectors have also excluded some men who would have been nominated. Take Wellington, for instance: Porter and Svenson were nominated, but they were not considered. Two men could have been nominated in their places. It seems to me unfair to the players. Can yon tell me if any players were nominated from Hawkes Bay?"

The Chairman: "I am not runnin" the New Zealand Union."

.._ Mr. Griffiths: "We might have put in two more nominations had we known that last year's New/. Zealand players wore not to be considered." The Chairman: "It is possible. I cannot answer for the selectors. We. put in eight nominations as it was, and.! we got two players in the team " Mr. .T. N. MiUard: "It is not likely laat we would hava got any more men in the team, is it?" Mr. Griffiths:"l don't know so: much about that." The Chairman : "Personally, I rather admire tho attitude of the selectors in leaving out the members of the 1924 team." x Mr. Griffiths: "You have not got that on your own. My point is that, the New Zealand selectors are overriding the general wish of the- delegates." The Chairman: "I question that." *£■ "It is on the minutes.". Tho Chairman: "That may be so." Mr. Griffiths maintained that the position was not satisfactory tuh- S t H- Sterli°g= "It does not; follow that two other players would have been nominated." J l nl\ hey discussioi> members nf tt t,r the, matter was ?° c°acern of tho Wellington Union. The opinion^ was expressed that tha Hawkes Bay nomiriitioris should have been published as the others had been - ' " fv™%J eSaH d V o'-CaUinS,:nommat,W, fiom clubs, the chairman again explained why clubs were not asked, and with that the discussion closed. \ •