BE UP AND DOING!

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12249, 22 September 1925, Page 6

BE UP AND DOING!

WARNING TO RUGBY UNION RIVAL TO NATIONAL GAME PLAYERS BEING CANVASSED (By Telegraph.—Special to “Times.”) AUCKLAND. September 21. On what must be considered as reliable authority, it is stated that there is a movement on foot which aims at striking a severe blow at the Rugby Union in the Dominion and particularly in Auckland, writes “Actaeon” in to-night’s “Star.” It is now recognised that in the League football our national pastime, Union game, has a serious rivals , rival veil supplied with money and at least in Australia, if not yet in the Dominion, prepared to spend that money to further the League game in the hope that some day the one game so dear to the hearts of New Zealanders and the . Rugbv Union will be cast among the discards and the only code of Rugby played’ wm be League. To bring this about 13 a big undertaking, and one not likely to get much support from the public generally, oecause to put in the background a sport that has advertised the Dominion the world over, more than any other medium will be little short of a national disaster. PROPAGANDA WORK Just at present touring the Do. are the Queensland League tootbaJlers and the manager of the team, Mr H. Sunderland, makes no secret ot the fact that be is here on propaganda work. In fact, he goes further, and at Wellington stated that, he hoped ere long to see the Rugby Union seeking another name. He has. both in Auckland and Wellington, expressed a wish for a match between the All Blacks and the Queensland League team which he knows full well would not be sanctioned by the New Zealand Union and could not possibly be brought about unless the Rugby Union players could be bought over. It will be a bad day for our national snort if money becomes so powerful that it can deal a blow which tb*. Rugby Union is unable to ward off. If the statements made recently be only partly true ' lie time has . arrived for the Rugby Union to he prepared. On reliable authority it is stated that Rugby Union players are’ being canvassed in the interests of Ihe League game, and one of our prominent All Blacks gave support to the statement when he stated that he had heard there was a movement on foot to get a team of Rugby Union players to play the Quee island League team at Auckland on October 10th next. No doubt such a match would be welcome to the League, particularly if the Rugbv Union ranks were, depleted of some of their best players,,-but such methods are hardly likely to meet with general approval. Of course no definite proof is available that the movement mentioned has been launched, but there are two statements which are hard to ; get away from and they are:—

I.—A statement- hv a League official that an attempt is being made to get a team of Rugby Union players to nopose Ihe Queensland team at Carlaw Park.

2.—A prominent AH Black footballer states that he has had the matter mentioned to him. not by a League official but by a fellow player.