SPECIAL INTERVIEW.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12654, 7 September 1904, Page 1 (Supplement)

SPECIAL INTERVIEW.

BOUGH PLAY IN FOOTBALL. . A REFEREE'S VIEW. . .'.. Tite alleged rough play at Ihe concluding match for the Rugby championship of Wellington between the Petone and Poneke teams was discussed with Mr. F. J. Ohlson, president of the Auckland Rugby, Referees' Association, yesterday. Mr. Ohlson has been connected with local football tor many years, and has had exceptional opportunities of observing play of every description. " I can say nothing of the character of the play at the match referred to," Mr. Ohlson replied, "but from what I know of one or two Wellington players majority are, of. course, as good sportsmen as could be wished— lam not surprised. I think for the credit of Wellington it would be better if these players were dispersed with. There is in the Auckland cup games a marked absence of rough play. There is hard, keen play, if you will, but nothing approaching rough play, as it is understood in the football field A ; " You had. an opportunity of seeing rough play in Auckland recently'.'" "At the Auckland-Wellington match? Yea, that was the worst 1 nave seen in Auckland this year. It took place in scrums particularly. There was then a, great deal of kicking, and I was on the line, m a good, position, to see." . •• But does not rough play reflect upon the referee':"

I " No, not entirely. The referee's eyes ; are ou the ball all the time, and he cannot I see much else that is going on. Rough play is the sort of thing'to' kill football from a popular point oi: view. The public will not stand it. Much of it results from retaliation. ';■•> Players ran stand a great deal, and display great self-control, but they are human, and can- scarcely be blamed if they iceseht ' pointing,' and particularly [if they are '.'deliberately kicked.. Now there 'was nothing, of-the kind in the recent 'matched here with the British, Otago, and TaranakJ, teams. It is true that we had several > '-laid out in the Taranaki match, but then that was the consequence of hard, ''though certainly not rough, play, and Rugby football is not, of course, child's play.". " But 'pointing' is surely an illegal'practice*/" : .; . " That is so, and rough play is often due to illegal obstruction. As a referee I have had in times past many complaints made to me of illegal practices. I have felt satisfied that ithe charges have been just, but it has been very hard to catch delinquents." " Do you suggest action being taken by the associations.'" "Of course all associations throughout the colony should most rigourously stamp out rough play, and I believe they do their best to stop it. If a player, once warned, repeats the offence, he should be sent off the field at once. Auckland players know very well that rough play will not be tolerated here, and this is partly due to the energy displayed! by the Association referees at the beginning of the season not to countenance, in particular, illegal line-out play. When the local men were acquainted with the consequences that would follow this rough play they very readily fell into line with the decision, and have given no room for complaint on this score-throughout the season. It cannot be too strongly emphasised that as soon as rough play becomes general the public interest 'in it will depart, imd ultimately the game will die out."