RUGBY MISSION

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 91, 15 October 1934, Page 11

RUGBY MISSION

AMERICAN'S VISIT

GAME IN CALIFORNIA

INTEBCHANGE OF TOUJIS

Bug by football enthusiasts throughout New Zealand and Australia -will be

interested in tho mission which has brought Mr.'Paul Ford liere from the United States. Ho arrived at Wellington today by tho Makura a.s the oflicial representative o£ the San Franuiseo Olympic Club, and he hopes to be able to arrange for an interchange of visits by New Zealand, Australian, and American liugby teams.

"During the past three or four years Itugby has improved rapidly in tho Unitod States after being almost forgotten since 1924," said Mr. Ford to a "Post" reporter. "Tho American football game ran away from Rugby between 1924 and 1030, but Hugby then started to edge in again, and in 1932 we organised an A team league in the Bay district, of San Francisco and .-'another in southern California. The matches are played round about the end of the American football season, thus giving Rugby a little better chance, and they are continued for three or three and a half month;!. It is my endeavour on this trip to arrange a sories of matches between teams representing your country, Australia, and California. Wo intend, if the visits can be arranged, to select as our representatives an all-star team from, tho two leagues. Of course, we do not feel we aro anywhero near capable of playing the Rugby, game as the Now Zealand and Australian teams play it, but we believo that it has come to stay iv tho United States and these visits would help us tremendously from an amateur viewpoint." Mr. Ford said that Mr. J. Patrick, a member of the American "Rugby teams which competed at tho 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, was coaching the Olympic Club in San Francisco, aud ho was very optimistic concerning the future of Rugby in the United States. LESSONS PKOM RUGBY. Asked whether it was likely that Rugby would ever supplant. the Anr&ncan football game in his country, Mr. Ford said he doubted whether that was possible, but it was iiutcworthy that the American game was being opened up more and more each year on Rugby lines. In the past few years the rules had been changed making the game faster and moro open and using more lateral passing than at any other time in the- history of American football. It liad reached the point where a game between two teams comparatively evenly matched would seem to drag, and officials had been active in recent years bringing about a change. Rugby was played in several parts of the United States, Mr. Ford said, but the best players came from tho Pacific Coast, and tho majority of players comprising the American teams at tho Olympic Games at Antwerp in 1920 and at Paris in 1924 came from California. J Tho 1920 team defeated the French; representatives in the iinal by S points i to nil, and in 1924 tho Americans again beat the French fifteen by 17 points to 3. Incidentally, the losers had been: described' as the greatest. Rugby side I France had put in the field, up fu that, time. : Some of the finest Rugby exponents ; in the United States hart formerly been [ prominent American football players,Mr, Ford continued. Mr. Patrick had been at one time an all-Amerkniihnlf-back,'«nd there were numerous others ■who had come over to Rugby and were helping to establish it in various parts of thecountry. '■ 1 ! !< ■• WARM WELCOME ASSURED, , ' Mr. Ford said that any.New Zealand or Australian team that - VSiMI ;Cali-j fornia would be assured of a wannj welcome. Such visits would do much towards creating enthusiasm £61 Rugby. There was no greater sport-loving crowd in -the world, than the people of the Pacific Coast, and international Rugby matches would attract a great deal of attention. It was hoped for a start to have a California!! team visit ..either:-New Zealand or Australia, or both countries, in 193 Dor •■]93o, .and to follow: .this up by return .visits. Up-to--.two or three yours '. .ago Mr. I Ford was a prominent player in American football and ■ represented Texas University on a number of <>cf.asions. Hn mentioned that Rugby Mftthofl.-i wore followed ilnrinj; training for tlie American j»anic- i» many schools anil also in tlu> Olympic Club, ■whfese membership was marie up of college graSun'U's, (he ojumi passing being regarded in the bitter case as! Tory valuable ami a desirable variation j of 'training. Mr. Ford will spi.Mirl about « week in New Zealand before proceeding to Australia. He is on a long vacation, and wijl have ample time to carry the rnegottStious through to what, he hopes Wll^'V^V-eeasfiu conclusion.