CONTROVERSY OVER WING FORWARD.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 26 May 1930, Page 5

CONTROVERSY OVER WING FORWARD.

BRITISH MANAGER’S CRITICISM UNPOPULAR.

(By Telegraph—Pr»«s tssociation.) AUCKLAND, This Day.

There is much comment in Auckland to-day on the reported statement by Mr Baxter, manager of the British Rugby team, that the wing-forward is a deliberate cheat.

Mr W. Arneil, president of the Auckland Rugby Union, said “I think Mr Baxter must have forgotten himself.” The statement was altogether too sweeping, and was tantamount to accusing some qf the most prominent men in New Zealand who once played wing forward of being cheats. Mr Baxter was ill-advised to make such a charge, Mr Armeil added. BRITISH MANAGER’S VIEW. “I watched the game here very carefully,” said Mr J. Baxter, manager of the British Rugby team, replying to a toast in their honour at a dinner at Wanganui. “There are gentlemen sitting at this table who are hoping for certain events to come to a head. One of the very beet means of arriving at an. understanding is to halve a universal law, playing exactly the same game to the best of our ability. (Applause). Still, I am not going to criticise tonight. It is too early. But, there is one thing I dislike and that is your wing-forward play. (Hear, hear.) I am sure that- the gentleman who had the misfortune to play there to-day, when he looks into his own heart, did not like it either. I won’t say he is on the border line. Ho is over the border line and must be discouraged He causes irritation to both sets of forwards. “I am not speaking about the man playing there to-day, mark you,” Mr Baxter proceeded. “I am speaking of a man playing in that position. It is contrary to the spirit of Rugby foot■ball.” /(Applause). K. Gibbons, captain of the Wanganui team, speaking later, said the w-ng-forward was a nuisance to five-eighth-!