THE GAME'S THE THING

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 13, 23 August 1928, Page 7

THE GAME'S THE THING

New Zealander's are often lectured about their over-seriousness in .Rugby matters, but in one important respect they have given Great Britain a lead in the tradition that sport must remain a game and not a national affair, as some German writer has noted in connection with the Olympic Games.J Whenever a man is injured on the Rugby field in New Zealand he may be replaced by a fresh player. This rule is not enforced in England, or in South. Africa, where in th-e first few minutes of the first test the whole ofthe New Zealand three-quarter line was disabled and yet had to continue throughout the match. As a test of the skill of the opposing sides, therefore, such a match must have been inconclusive. The only reason for the' English rule seems to be that the. replacement' of players might be abused by a man leaving the field in. favour of a fresher player when he was not disabled. On the other hand, the English might lend itself to foul play. The New Zealand system .of replaements, which applies right up to the final whistle, has never been abused in New Zealand because it is a point of honour for every man to go on so long, as he is fit to do so, and if the matter were discussed ia the t light of pure sportsmanship we think that there could be no hesitation in *favour of replacements.