RUGBY POSTPONEMENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23100, 27 July 1938, Page 22

RUGBY POSTPONEMENT

JUNIOR TEAM'S COMPLAINT

Fair Play, Papatoetoe, writes:—May I express through your columns the views of several junior Rugby footballers on their treatment last Saturday. In the third intermediate grade University was to play Training College at Eden Park No. 2 at ] .30 p.m. Heavy rain commenced about noon and there seemed a possibility of the game being postponed. Several players, before leaving Auckland, therefore, rang the authorities at Eden Park and were told the game would be played. Arriving there, wet through in some cases, they were given a dressing shed and marched out at 1.25 p.m. ready to play, but were then told that the cur-tain-raiser from Xo. 1 was being played on Xo. 2 and no other field was available.

It is notable that, in spite of the weather, both teams had a full muster, showing their keenness, but is this likely to remain after such treatment? II Rugby is to continue as the leading code in this country, then the interests ol the younger players have to be given attention. Perhaps Auckland is the only centre tolerating such discourteous treatment.

The chairman of the Auckland Rugby Union, Mr. A. A. Baker, said that on account of the sodden state of Xo. 1 ground, which had to be preserved for the principal game between Auckland and North Auckland, the curtain-raiser was transferred. As it was a match between two leading teams it had 1o be played. It was quite a common practice throughout New Zealand when a ground had to lie kept in as good a condition as possible for an important fixture to transfer the curtain-raiser to another ground. Mr. Maker said it was unlortunate it happened to be a junior match that was put off and no discourtesy was meant to the younger players.