THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE MONDAY, WEDNESDAY. FRIDAY. Motto : Public Service. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1937. THE RUGBY SEASON.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 47, Issue 2665, 3 September 1937, Page 4

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE MONDAY, WEDNESDAY. FRIDAY. Motto : Public Service. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1937. THE RUGBY SEASON.

TO-DAY is published a short review of the success of the Paeroa senior rugby representatives in i their engagements in the season I which is just concluding. It is j a matter for great satisfaction I for all concerned, patrons, play- ’ ers and union officials, that the team has come through the season without suffering a defeat, although it has had some narrow escapes. The programme has not been extensive nor prolonged, but the team has captured the Poland Cup, symbolic of Thames Valley premiership, and made such a bold bid for the Peace Cup that Thames itself, always optimistic, had almost said good-bye to the trophy. Apart from the records of points for and against, the team has had a great measure of success in that it is recognised as a fifteen composed of good players and players who are sportsmen, and that is more valuable than any array of cups and trophies. The bugbear of all country unions is finance, and during the past few years Paeroa has been no exception. It has been a hard and losing struggle for several past seasons, but at last the union appears to be winning. Several good “gates” have assisted the bank balance to grow, and although the union is by no means out of the wood it should have a less bleak prospect to face when the 1938 season looms ahead. The public in Paeroa could hardly be termed “footballminded” insofar as the local teams are concerned, and there has been exhibited time and again a lamentable lack of enthusiasm. True, they turned out in goodly numbers for the Peace Cup challenge, but only powerful publicity achieved that end. While the union does not expect anyone to patronise poor or mediocre games, it can legitimately ask for support when the standard of rugby is improving and on a par with that in adjacent districts where excellent patronage is secured. Apathy breeds a spirit of contempt, and all too often the remark is heard “I wouldn’t bother to go to the local football.” When that remark is not justified by the type of play to be viewed, it must be assumed that such speakers sadly lack civic pride and do not take sufficient interest in their own town and its doings. The national sport is rather overshadowed in the country districts these days by the great interest taken in the tour of the South Africans, and in most centres competitions are being closed and seasons concluded at a time when another month of play usually remains. The advent of radio and its use in broadcasting the interprovincial and international fixtures has definitely weakened local interest throughout the country, and for many reasons this is to be deplored. It is to be hoped that the visit of the Springboks to our shores this year will have beneficial results in the future, particularly in the form of more enthusiasm in the country football and a general stimulus to rugby in all grades throughout the Dominion. If this is not achieved the code will suffer, for without the influx of country players to the town, and the continued in-

terest in the larger centres, rugby must decline. It is curious that in the year before a tour, either of New Zealand or of the All Blacks abroad, competition, public patronage and general enthusiasm is far greater than in a season following such fixtures.