THE CONTROL OF RUGBY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19550, 1 February 1927, Page 8

THE CONTROL OF RUGBY.

ATTITUDE IN ENGLAND. OFFICIAL'S SPEECH RESENTED. [st TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. "As a New Zealander, I strongly resent the attitude expressed by Mr. Baxter," said Mr. S. Wilson, president of the Canterbury Rugby Union, this afternoon, when discussing the speech' made by Mr. J. Baxter, president of the English Rugby Union, which appeared in the news by cablegram this morning. "Mr. Baxter says: ' It is our game and we must have complete control,' ■" said Mr. Wilson. "This statement shows a distressing lack of Imperial (Viewpoint. One would be inclined to think that Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans were foreigners, instead of which thisy are as British as any Englishman, and have just as much right to their birthright. Again, it is an unfair thing to let the English clubs have the decision as to whether tha colonial unions are to have some say in the government of the game. "With very few exceptions, the English clubs are no older than many of the clubs out here. The Christchurch Club, for instance, came into existence 57 years ago, and very few English clubs' are older than that. The oldest of the English clubs, I think, dates back 68 years. The difference is immaterial."