"A PLAYER'S GAME"

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 25, 29 July 1933, Page 6

"A PLAYER'S GAME"

CHANGE-OVER TO RUGBY

,The Rugby,. Union-game has become; firmly established at Scotch College, Melbourne, and the reasons advancedin,a.publication of the school for the introduction of tho Union code are interesting. Thp college paper states:— "There is a good case for ,-tlie "introduction .of Bugby into the schools of Victoria, and also for its' adoption as a public school sport in. place of the present game. .In the first :plaee,idt is. : ; aniatt'atcuivgainoj^lean and, skilful. It' is- played throughout Australia-; .and Ne>v : "Zealand,*" aiid is the standard gamiCin England'and Scotlandi/Btigby is a line ga,me for' :boys, and 'can be ■.playp'dvin anyVeathpr; in,-'-fact^'a'.sod-rten'ground is rather suitable for Bugby forwards, who number pyer half tho, players; whereas a wet ground spoils a game played on" the Australian Bules. In Rugby every member of .both'teams is in action the whole time, with the possible exception of the -full-backs. lii our game, if one sido lias the play the men on one, side of the field may stand and shiver for minutes on end. _ -''It has ro,om-.,foi'.ftll the individualists of Australian Rules, but they aye not v/Bfl r conspicuous, for, besides the .tactician', the speedy and nippy man, the' kicking and marking expert, there is room for tho slow, plugging, undistinguished type, -who is;a dead loss in Australian Rules, but who/may bo a valuable Rugby forward.- Fundamentally, Rugby is a player's game', and mot a spectators','and for this reason it/isp more suitable-'for schools. It may not be so spectacular as the present game, but .surely it'is preferable.to have team work ,rather than individual excellence in kicking and high marking."