Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 1935. RUGBY REVIEW

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 August 1935, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 1935. RUGBY REVIEW

F pilE Rugby football season is by no means ended, but public interest will dwindle, seeing that many competitions have been decided. What is to happen in Britain will arouse most excitement among Rugby enthusiasts. Concern about the All Blacks should not deprive the touring Maoris of the congratulations due to them for the commendable record they have made during the tour of Australia. Both on and off the field, they have won general respect, and have helped to regain prestige, where Rugby is concerned, for New Zealand. Illnesses and injuries took toll of the visitors, but they rose superior to these handicaps, arid all concerned will deserve a cordial reception on their return home.

The absence of those chosen as All Blacks has robbed inter-pro-vincial matches of some of their attraction, but those- players who remain are not without skill and stamina. Canterbury’s performance. in regaining the Ranfurly Shield from Auckland, will bo popular in soul hern circles, and the West Coast will have some hope that its own match, next month, with Canterbury will be a Shield fixture. Its hopes may not go much further. The New Zealand Rugby Union decides the order of challenges for the Shield. Apart from the expected crop of players “who should have been with the All Blacks’’ nothing has developed in the country to suggest that the selectors made any glaring omissions. Locally, the season has not been memorable. United has won the Ululi senior championship, ami the junior honours may also come itsi way. If some will regret that the senior championship has again gone to tho club which previously held it. there can be little doubt that the United Club was superior to its opponents, and fully deserved its success. As a district, there is not much that is gratifving Io re- . i late in the way of honours won J hilt lean seasons cannot be avoided. There were more mishaps to players than usual, some of tin* in-’ juries being serious. From various centres come allegations that il- 1 legal methods are increasing in i Rugby, but such development has '

not boon noticeable on the West

Coast, if the “rough stuff” has not been altogether absent. Rugby, unless played in sportsmanlike manner, lends itself to mauling tactics, and unions and referees cannot be too determined to keep objectionable practices to a minimum. Another duty of unions and clubs is to give more attention to the insurance of players against the effects of injuries. The Cobden Club has set an excellent example of initiative in this way, and its enterprise is a reproach to the apathy elsewhere. Apart from the physical effects, it is sometimes a serious matter for a man to face hospital and doctors’ bills, with wageless periods, because of an in jury on the football field. Those who profit financially from matches should make it a first duty to cover against financial loss through injury, those without whom no play, nor profit, would be possible.