“NO EXCUSES”

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 July 1946, Page 4

“NO EXCUSES”

ENGLISH TEAM’S MANAGER WEST COAST FULLY DESERVED VICTORY TRIBUTE TO FORWARDS “On the day, West Coast was the better teafn and 1 make no excuses for our defeat,” said the manager of the English team, Mr. W. Poppelwell, in an interview with the Evening Star last evening. , “The West Coast team adapted itself better to the conditions,” continued Mr. Poppelwell, “and the forwards trounced our forwards on the day. The West Coast fully deserved its victory.” In reply to a question, Mr. Poppelwell said the English players had obviously had some difficulty in following the referee’s interpretation of the play-the-ball rule. In England, when a man had played the ball with his foot he was permitted to regain possession immediately, but the interpretation in New Zealand appeared to be that he had to play it clear of the ruck. However, the new English rule, to come into effect next season, providing that the acting half-back had to stand two yards behind the man playing the ball ana the other players three yards behind him would, no doubt, overcome the difficulty in the two interpretations.