OUT IN THE OPEN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 8 August 1928, Page 9

OUT IN THE OPEN

GENERAL RUGBY NOTES if NTE RESTING P ROGiR AM M E Tim Nelson Rugby programme over the next few weeks has something good in store for the public interested in the game. Next Saturday the Otago sum Union's representatives will be seen m action against Nelson. The lollowiiig week there will he a choice between the Southland-Nelson match and the interGoilogiaLe tournament at College. The winners and losers of the first day s play, play oil on the Monday. On 25th August the next Seddon Shield match will he played, against Bullor. ' 'it was rumoured that the Wanganui Collegiate School could not travel to Nelson, but there has been no official notification. • The Colleges taking part in the tournament are Christ’s College, Wellington College, Wanganui Collegiate School and Nelson College. The Seven A=sides. That local interest in seven a-side Rugby lias waned considerably was evidenced by the poor attendance lit Trafalgar Park on Monday for the Senior and Junior tournaments. Counterattractions may have had the eflect ot lessening the number of spectators, but Rugby enthusiasts do not usually lot other entertainments take them from their favourite game. Many enthusiasts were absent mi Monday, and as far as the Rugby was concerned, they spent a much more profitable day putting in their “spuds”, than they would have done at the Park.

Reinforcements. After the change over in the Referees v. Pirate seven a-side the referee who had been controlling, the game was unable “to keep out of it,” and so lie changed jerseys with a. player and reinforced the Referees’ team. The referees showed that they were up to all the tricks in the trade, even in “attempted pots.” “Attempted pots” were the order of the day. Not one went over.

It went over too! A taste of the'“old time” was given at the seven a.-sides on Monday when an elderly referee turned out for the Referees’ team in his stockinged feet. This player scored one try, but that was merely incidental for the same player took a shot at goal, with a. place kick. As the ball was being placed the spectators chuckled, presumably expecting five broken toes and a call for splints, (or however broken toes are repaired) b..t the ball sailed fair across the middle of the bar, and by the way the kicker scampered back the toes were all right.

“All up” with them. The manner in which the' New Zealand Rugby footballers are being treated in South Africa is the subject of some outspoken criticism by a section of the South African Press.

“We do not hesitate to say that we do not think that the visiting team of New Zealand footballers is being quite fairly or courteously treated,” states one South African paper. “The daily Press of South Alr'ta has been partly responsible for this, because of the ridiculous and almost childish way in which it boomed the All Blacks. At their first official reception in "Cape Town, the manager of the team protested against, the excessive glorification of the men he had brought with him, and in plain words, as politely as he could put them, resented the newspaper cries that the All Blacks were coming as certain conquerors. The reaction against this was seen at the two Gape Town matches, where there was a not too well veiled hostility against the visitors. This feeling, of course, was born of the wild desire for a victory over a team that were supposed to be invincible. It explains, the roars of applause that greeted ewrv bit of good work by the home team and begrudged an honest cheer for the good work of the visitors. This is 1 not fair or courteous ; in fact, it is downright bad.manners. By every unwritten moral law of the game, you should treat your’ visitors better than you treat your own.” The comment concludes “But so largely and disproportionately does football loom in our'world to-day that there are some feather-headed and loud,ninulhed people who think that if the All Blacks defeated our fellows it would be ‘all up’ with the South African nation.”

Welliiigtoni Championship. The present position of' the senior A grade championship in Wellington is as followsPoneke 26 points, University 25, Oriental 20, Athletic 17, Old Boys 17, Peton.6 12, Marist 10, Eastbourne 9, Wellington 8, Berhampore 6.

Representative fixtures. After last night’s meeting of the Nelson Rugby- Union the list of representative matches in sight for the Nelson team, providing the Seddon Shield is retained, is as follows 11th August—Otago at Nelson. 18th August—Southland at Nelson. 25th August—Rullcr at, Nelson (Se’ddon Shield). Ist September—Marlborough at Nelson (Seddon Shield). 15th September—Wellington at Wellington. 22nd September—Golden Bay-Motu-eka at Nelson (Seddon Shield).

Nelson’s action appreciated. At last night’s meeting of the Rugby Union Mr Kemnitz read a private letter from Mr S. F. Wilson, president of the Canterbury Rugby Union, in which Nelson’s proposed action of travelling with the. Shield was appreciated. Evidently the recent Seddon Shield discussions have, created a wide interest.