LEAGUE RUGBY

Evening Star, Issue 18716, 19 August 1924, Page 10

LEAGUE RUGBY

CANDID CRITICS. EXAGGERATED REPORTS, fSpecial to thb ‘Star.’] WELLINGTON, August 18. While Mr Osborne, fhe League secretary and manager, was complimentary and conciliatory, Mr J. 11. Dannatt, who is also concerned in the management of the English League team, was in a different frame of mind, and was disinclined to make any comment on the tour. “ I will make this statement,” ho said, “that the treatment we have received in some towns in New Zealand is not likely to about any more visits from England. The Chinese footballers have been received with open arms, but the treatment shown by Britishers to Britishers has been disgusting. I do not think there will be any more tours. We had a. nice civic reception here at the station in tncy lam. Wo are leaving to-morrow, and we will nut be sorry.” “Do von think the standard of play in New Zealand is as good as that in Australia?” Mr Dannatt was asked. “No, not by a long way.” he replied. Beyond that be would say nothing. The captain of the visiting team (J. Larkin) said that the standard in New Zealand hud improved since he was here, in 1920. At full strength the present English touring team was as .good -as any that had' been -sent on tour, but every member of the team had sulteied through injury or. illness during the tour, and there" had been no opportunities for training. The. Northern Union game .at Home, he said, was very strong in the North. The Hug by Union game was strong also, and he considered that the Alt Blacks would be beaten on more than one occasion. , , . “On the eve of our departure from New Zealand J. would like to express, on behalf of my colleagues and players, an appreciation of the courtesy shown lb us by the people of New Zealand. We arc going away with the feeling that-we are wad to have visited New Zealand. We are proud to have been here, mid'when wo back we shall be able, to tell- the manj thousands of adherents of our game what a wonderful country Now Zealand is. It has always been my ambition to come, out here and to see you at home, and I can honestly say that, _ although 1 had formed a very high opinion of the sportsmen in New Zealand, I have not been disappointed so far as my association with them has been concerned. Wo may have had little differences of opinion, hut. they a.re nothing compared with the expressions of good-will showered upon us during our stay here. If I have said anything which seemed to reflect upon the.true sporting spirit of the majority of the spectators, I hope they will lake it as being purely with the" object, of eliminating from the game those little actions which am very often expressed by a small minority, and which cause an unfair reflection upon the others.” This statement was made by Mr K, Osborne, and is in striking contrast to the oilier reported expressions of opinion from the visitors while in the South Island. Mr Osborne was quite snuvm in voicing those sentiments, and he pointed out that the icports of other interviews with him hud been exaggerated.