CANTERBURY NOTES.

NZ Truth, Issue 406, 5 April 1913, Page 3

CANTERBURY NOTES.

So far there have been mere rumbles m Canterbury of .the approaching storm between the two football codes. Everybody "is polite to everybody else, but everybody is certain that the season's struggles for the people's favor and cash is going to be very exciting. Our friend Billy Garrard has quietly resigned from the Kugby .Union secretaryship after nineteen years'' experience, and can still see no other game but Rugby m existence. It would be hard for BUI to face, this new trouble after his lengtn of service. The new code is discussed m. a very reasonable spirit. ■Professionalism is repudiated, and the Lieaguers wouldn't be found dead m a forty-acre paddock with the Northern Union. It starts with a healthy showing of four clubs,*, and two grade competitions are to be played, with extra matches to permit everybody getting a game continuously. .-'■•/ The Rugby Union closed with a deficit last year. A feature of the ' clean management is that players are barred from the same which ousts some of the men who introduced the League game into the country. With three matches played last year, the League finished with a balance of £S. Of course, the new code dependß for popularity upon the fine? spectacular side of the play. ;Many who love the old game and saw League matches on the show grounds thought sadly that this game, full of incident, the constantly getting busy, not an idle moment — must do Rugby a lot of harm. It has been so m other places, and it is a question, is history going to repeat itself? The great British public is singularly unsentimental, and if it finds a game that appeals ~to-.it better' than""; another' lt will, patronise it, and. enjoy it . ; ■ *> . It Is probable that the Rugby Union is m for a parlous time, and it ia probable that attempts will have to be made to smarten up the game— and blow the English Union/ "■ '■?■■ ■'■