IS RUGBY "DOWN AND OUT"?

Evening Star, Issue 14963, 24 August 1912, Page 6

IS RUGBY "DOWN AND OUT"?

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—lt may interest readers of the ' Star ' to know what is the real state of Ilugbv football in the North Island at present. It is tottering.—more so every year. This season one of the Wellington senior clubs wnt out ot existence ; another is almost certain to do so next year; while the leading; club (Petonc) may, when next season arrives, go over to the League in a body. It is practically the same all over the island, and everywhere—from Cape Maria to Terawhiti—the League are gaining ground. Come to" look at the latter game, it is not wonderful that it should. It is a prettier and faster game, and it is infinitely bettor administeri-d than is the vogue, say. under such provincial bodies as the Otago Rugby Union and similar controls. To state that a recent elub R.ugbv game in Dunedin drew 10,000 spectators does not prove anything about the standard of play. It merely proves that, the Otago Rugby Union (in its ancient fear of " Succor ") captured most of the Diinedui grounds many years ago, and the public have therefore no option but to go to Rugby or stav at homo. But "that won't stop the League. Tfc will be, the old story of the time when the factious Otago control stood out of the New Zealand Rugby Union for a couple of seasons and nearly killed the game. What is almost sure to_ happen is this: The League game will grow stronger and stronger in the North, then it will take root, in Canterbury, and then—well, what? If any of the young players in Otago should be thinking of stepping Leaguewards, there is one tiling which they should be sure to see to: keep the parties out of it whose administration has done so much to ruin the brave old kind of football for which Otago used to be once noted.—l am, etc.. A. Sfence. August 22.