I TAKING SPORT THE SOFT WAY

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 80, 5 April 1939, Page 8

I TAKING SPORT THE SOFT WAY

CHALLENGE TO RUGBY PHYSICAL FITNESS SPEAKER SPEAKS PLAINLY SHARP RETORTS FROM CANTERBURY

Rugby does not occupy the position it did. Not enough is being done to coach schoolboys. Youths are drifting to less strenuous sport. “Go out and repair the weakness.” Grounds should be for players, not for onlookers. Full coffers can be a handicap. These and other challenging statements brought sharp retorts from members of a meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Union. The speaker was Mr. F. G. Dunn, member of the Council of Physical Welfare and Recreation. Mr. Dunn, in the main, was answering criticism of the council’s policy uttered at a previous meeting of the Rugby Union Management Committee, particularly criticism that the policy was nebulous. But he went further than that, and vigorously carried war into the enemy’s camp. “One cry from our cities is ‘give us grounds,’” said Mr. Dunn. “Frankly, the council is not so much concerned with grounds as with players. A question we asked is what proportion of the cost of a ground is devoted to the encouragement of the players and what the onlookers. It is quite possible that we will fall foul of some sports organisations on that point. “Not National Now” “I have some other points to put before you. The Rugby Union game to-day is not occupying the position it did in the past. Why? Once it was the national sport.” The president of the union (Mr. J.

K. Moloney): It will become paramount again. Mr. Dunn: Times are changing. Youth is looking for a “gentleman’s” game, not a man’s game; for a game that has no hard knocks. Mr. Moloney: We cannot supply a “gentleman’s” game. Continuing, Mr. Dunn suggested that members of the union should go (out into the schools, that they should give up a considerable portion of their time and teach the boys to play Rugby. That would be concrete help in the cause of national fitness. “What is wrong to-day—the game, the control of the game, the fact that boys can’t take hard knocks, or that the union’s coffers are overflowing?” Mr. Moloney: I can reassure you on that latter point. Our coffers are almost empty, for we have spent the money on grounds, the players and the clubs. Mr. Dunn: I am glad to hear it. The sport that is penniless thrives the best. Competition of other sports is making inroads on your game to-day. Mr. Moloney: Well, those other sports have their place in the sun. Rugby is as sound as ever. Mr. R. W. Britton: And we help other sports to thrive, as well as catering for our own 3450 players. Mr. Moloney later outlined what the Rugby Union w'as doing, and he pointed out to Mr. Dunn that there were actually representatives of the secondary schools and of the primary schools on the Management Committee of the union itself. The union was a voluntary organisation and its members worked year in and year out,

without recompense for the good ol the game. Surely the union could not be held responsible for the fact that j many youths nowadays preferred a ! game without hard knocks. It could | not check the habit of youths loungi ing in the streets. Mr. J. T. Burrows: Not enough of them take up some form of outdoor exercise. Compulsion Needed. Mr. W. Britten: You can talk about physical fitness till this time next week. It is all useless unless Mr. Dunn gets the Government to bring down legislation making it compulsory for youths on leaving school to take up some form of sport. • Mr. A. E. McPhail explained why 1 he had criticised the National Fitness | Council at a previous meeting of the Management Committee. At various meetings in connection with the fitness campaign, he said, there had been a great deal of talk, but, to his mind, nothing in the way of concrete proposals. The National Council might make a start by helping small, struggling sports clubs. There was plenty of scope for assitance of that kind. A Lack in Primary Schools g Other members of the union ex- 9 pressed the view that there was need for more active interest in sport and coaching by teachers in primary schools. It was stated that there had been some falling off in this direction. “Schoolboy Rugby is falling off, in proportion to numbers,” was one statement. Mr. Dunn: That is what I have been contending. You are learning something from one of your own members. I emphasise again that when the council provides grounds it will be for players, not for onlookers. Mr. Moloney: When we get a “gale” from any ground, it goes back to th« players and back to the clubs. They are the first consideration all the time. We are here for nothing else. After Mr. Dunn had retired, members discussed further the question oi schoolboy football and agreed to ar> range a conference with the Primarj School Headmasters' Association.