TARANAKI RUGBY AND REFEREES.

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 17 June 1935, Page 6

TARANAKI RUGBY AND REFEREES.

(To the Editor). Sir, —As an old player and enthusiast of many years’ standing, I venture to make some comments on our national game as viewed from games witnessed in various parts of South Taranaki during; the current season, in the hope that, my few remarks may assist to bring the game back to what this province was capable of in former years. Taranaki, I venture to say, has the finest traditions in Rugby of any province in New Zealand, but club football as played to-day is, in the main far from attractive and cannot expect the patronage it enjoyed in, past years. There is no lack of material which could be developed by greater attention to training, better grading of teams and a stricter interpretation of the rules by referees. . Players at this period of the season should be almost at the top of their • form, but in few instances have I seen 1 players able to keep up with the J game throughout and therefore cannot do themselves or the game justice. There are two or three teams who are definitely out of their class and should not be in the senior competition. Saturday after Saturday huge scores are .put up against them. The public have no interest in games of this type, and further it is not good for the players who. will in many cases lose heart, and drift to other forms of sport, when if they were graded correctly would have enjoyable games and ultimately become good footballers. Although I am rather diffident regarding criticisms of the referees, I feel that there is a big improvement needed which would readily reflect itself in the standard of the play and players. I have the greatest, regard for those gentlemen who turn [out Saturday after Saturday and give j their services to this branch of our ‘sport. They are worthy of our highest praiso and support, but the games should be controlled in a. manner that will be an education to players, who know very little of the rules of the game whilst playing it. In a recent! game at Hawera at least, four tries were awarded which should not have been allowed as a broach of the knockon rule had occurred on each occasion more than once. In another instance ■a player had dribbled or kicked the ball past all his opponents. "When approximately lo yards short of the line a. score looked almost certain when lie was obstructed in full view of players and referee ; this serious breach was [allowed to go on, when a. penalty try lor free-kick for obstruction should have been awarded to the attacking side. On another occasion a scrum was being hotly contested almost on the goal line and adjacent to the corner flag, the referee taking up a position right alongside the near goal post, from where it was impossible to see what was going on and, further, throughout, this game the referee took up impossible positions for adequate; control. There were many other in-1 stances of a. minor nature, but many j years have proved that where the referees give a correct interpretation of the rules the standard of Riugbv is usually high and furthermore when players get away with breaches unchecked, they are at a loss to under- 1 stand rulings given against their side when playing under stricter referees in other provinces. In conclusion, if trust that the foregoing will be ac- 1 cepted in the spirit intended, and that;

those responsible for the conduct, of our Rugby will endeavour to stop this downward trend and produce the footbaM that our present day players are callable of (with proper tuition and control) and thus make certain that the public support- will be maintained, as without it the future of the game in Taranaki is doomed.—l am. etc., SPECTATOR.