RUGBY CAMPS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 16 July 1927, Page 6

RUGBY CAMPS.

N.Z. UNION’S DISAPPROVAL. DECISION OF CANTERBURY UNION.

The discussion at the last meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Union on the New Zealand Union’s letter disapproving of training camps lor players, corrects the impression conveyed in the short Press Association message that the southern union supports the practice of placing the representative teams in camps. The lolloping report of the discussion is taken from I'm* Christchurch ‘‘Press’’:

The Management Committee of the Canterbury Rugby Union on Tuesday night discussed the question of representative teams going into camp lor training purposes prior to big matches. The following letter was received from the New Zealand Union:

"Reports have been in circulation that certain unions were putting their representative teams into camps for training prior to playing inter-provin-cial matches. My committee disapproves of this practice xuid requests that it be dropped. The attention of the union is drawn to the following resolution on the subject, which has been passed by the international Board: ‘That in the opinion of this board it is contrary to the spirit oi amateur Rugby football that teams should be assembled at a centre during a period prior to a match for the purpose of change of air and training.’ ” Air. J. J. Dunne said that football was a game for players, but it seemed as though spectators were now getting the first consideration. He referred to the recent Ranfurly Shield match at ALnsterton, and said that it seemed to him that the practice of putting the teams engaged in play in training for a week was wrong. On the occasion of the first test at Dunedin between the Springboks and the All Blacks the latter team was put into camp' at Brighton, and on coming into Dunedin was accommodated at one hotel, the visitors staying at another. The players were like caged animals when they met. Such practices struck him as being too much like professionalism:

The chairman (Air. A. E. MePhail) expressed the opinion that while not approving of the principle, the Canterbury Union ought to reserve to itself freedom of action to put a team at New Brighton if it so desired. This applied particularly to country players. Air AlcCully said that reports recently circulated made it appear that players had given lip a week’s work for training.

Air. S. F. Wilson: I hope that the Canterbury Union will never reach such a stage. He agreed, however, that country players should come into town a few days before a match in which they were selected to play. The chairman said that it was easy to get a wrong impression from the reports of the recent llanfurly Shield match. Canterbury had played some hard games with Hawke’s Bay, but they were as clean as any ’ other matches in which they had participated. Air J. K. Aloloney complained that there was a tendency lately to regard games ot' football in terms of £ s. cl.

“! don t agree with you,’’ said the chairman, who added that Mr Aloloney was not speaking fairly of the Hawke’s Bay Union, who took the Shield on tour with them to Canterbury when they need not have done so. Air. Aloloney explained that hie remarks were not directed at Hawke's Bay. but had genearl reference to teams that went into camp. Air. AYilson: AVe must not forget that Hawke’s Bay is widely scattered. On the motion of Air AV. Britten it was decided, to receive the letter, the union to use its own discretion in regard to the question raised. • It was decided to challenge for the Ranfurly Shield on September 3, provided that Hawke’s Bay still held it on that date.