"CRAMPING RUGBY."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13625, 19 December 1907, Page 6

"CRAMPING RUGBY."

CHERISHED TRADITIONS. AMATEURS AND PROFESSIONALS. (FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] * London, November 8. To a leading London paper a" football critic, who signs himself " C.A.L.," contributes some notes which are sure to bo of interest to Now Zealand readers. At the outset he puts the query: How is the Rugby footbail season faring without the visit of an amateur team from tho colonies?" Certainly there,has been little sensational to chronicle to date, for tho amateurs iiavo entirely ignored the doings of the "Pro.Blacks" against clubs attached to the professional Northern Union. "The general impression in the South of England," he goes on to remark, "is possibly that the New Zoalander3 are not a success, financially, hut if one considers how email their travailing expenses are compared to the 'All Blaoks' and 'JJokkon,' and also that they ace gettiug very good 'gates,' it would "he absurd to write that professionalism cannot bo mado to pay in Kugby. It is fairiy certain, therefore, "that if tho 'Pro.-Blacks' return to their homes with a substantial cash balance, those in Maoriiami may get hoid of a false impression as to the status of amateurism in England. Those iii New Zealand should be made to realise that the visit of a professional team has not caused a single genuine amateur player's or spectator's pulse to rise above normal. This would make our cousins abroad understand that there are some cherished traditions still existing in our football. "Perhaps it would bo as well for the Rugby Union to advise the New Zealand amateur body to this effect, unless the indefatigable Mr. Wray Pallisor, who looks after New Zealand's interests over, here, has already tiono so. Even then there is never any harm in reminding the colonies, for an official letter or two—about nothing in particular—keeps the ball roiling and the game alive. When New South Wales offered to send a team to England this season the English Union deferred talking very seriously of such a thing until later. Of course, they wore not to foresee that professionalism was suddenly to spring up ' down under.' But such contingencies should be anticipated, and it is safe to say that there would) have been no split in Australian Rugby had an amateur Australian team been at presont touring in England. Although it would bo obviously unjust to blame England, ono will be justified in doing so if tho authorities fail to keep this kind of international amateur rivalry booming in the future. "The visit of an 'English' team (ono dare not hope that it will be really representative of ' British* Rugby, although it is understood that several well-known players other than English are willing to go) to New Zealand next year is a great thing to look forward to," continues " C.A.L." "From all accounts it would appear that we have never had a finer chance of showing our prowess than at present. At the time the New Zealanders visited England in 1905 they had put together a r<>markablo lot of backs, such men behind tho scrum a3 are rarely found in a country during a season. Since then those on the other side have lost some of those ' giants,' and word reaches one from time to time that new men have not been found to fill the vacancies and keep up the-prestige of their predecessors. Surely, this is not very remarkable !

"If wo are to believe that such is the case—and the New Zealand forwards .were not wonderful during their last seasonwe have reason to be hopeful, provided tho right team leaves England. Social status must bo sacrificed for playing ability. Nobody would suggest that invitations are being sent to ' men with beautiful clothes'— as a theatrical manager once saidbut there is always a tendency to cast tho ' glad' eye on men of good social standing whonever a tour abroad is to be arranged. The New Zealanders were cortainly not worried by such 'trifles.' Naturally, it is not nearly tirrre yet to fix upon tho definite composition of tho side, m this season is sure to bring some new 'live' menthe type required for a lengthy tour—into prominence. We are fortunate in having such a keen worker as Mr. Harnett looking after things; at all events we can rely unon him getting an early 'Yes' or 'No' from a man invited, and thus obviate the muddle which occurred' shortly before our cricket team left for Australia. Meanwhile, it is more than sufficient lor the average Rugby enthusiast to think of how the present season is getting along. This is a quality—or a fault—which is typical of Rugby? men. The fact that in the two previous seasons the Now Zealanders and Africans were creating a boom in Rugby over here has not been seriously taken as a standard to keep up. Many hoped that the Rugby county championship would be paraded as a ' dazzling' event in order to bo billed in the same large typo as the colonial visitors were. Instead of which the county competition, far from rising, has become less interesting in tho metropolis."