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TRANSFER OF PLAYERS

Trafficking By Clubs Is Becoming All Too Frequent GOMMERCIALISED RUGBY TALENT „,! :;,. >;■. . . —-— — ■ ■ . ■ ' (By "N.Z. Truth's" Special Representative). Rugby football is recognised as being New Zealand's , National-game and its army of adherents pride themselves m I classing it as an amateur sport. ; i ■'■'"■.•' ' ■ • ■-

IF it is to retain its claim *to amatetir- : ism then the N.Z. -Union will have l -to refrain from merely winking 1 at tlie trafficking of players which is being carried out by certain, unions and ; clubs., ■ t . .This buying of. prominent players' services' has been going on for a considerable time, and it is hard to conceive that the parent body is not aware of the fact. Some few weeks ago an advertisement appeared m a daily paper offering a job to a footballer holding credentials as being a good back. The result was that a AVelJington club lost two of its best backs. /:) Ffurther, on reliable authority, "N.Z. •Truth" has gathered that this traf- , ticking Is going on m other parts : 'of New Zealand) . P.rominent players are beginning to learn that, there is. competition between 'clubs, and even unions, for their services. i.: jirr'bmthe player's point of View,- foott' bail' is gradually becoming a good paying business, and the better the player the ■ more tempting the inducement to make a/k-hange of district. : ■'■ "Truth" is noli questioning "the 1 transference of players who occasionally find themselves under the -jurisdiction.- of '-a new union by reason of the . action of i their employers. . . >. Exception,, however, is taken 'to certain . clubs 'offering inducements, to prominent

■ players, and also to unions failing to take » notice of the breach committed by the [ clubs. r To permit our national sport to be j commercialised m this manner is quite 1 contrary to International Amateur Laws. Unless the N.Z. Union is alive to Its obligations m this matter, the abuse may become a very grave one. Should it be permitted to continue It Is only ' a question of time when unions which encourage Rugby Just for the game's : sake, will be disheartened m their • work. L There is, too, a rule obtaining m New Zealand, that players may not appear for r»ft\y clubs or unions until they have received a clearance from their old clubs.. Complaints have reached "Truth" that some players do not, apparently, take this rule, seriously. • In cases where the services of a player 1 are •"bought" by another district, it would 1 do the sport and all concerned a great • % amount of good if tlie losing club would exercise .its powers and hold up the of- > fenders.. • ' - i. It Is a noticeable fact that the "cushi'e" jobs are being found only for I players who have more than the or- . : dinary football ability. One of these days a tempted player will i' "blow the gaff" and then there'll be a ; stir m Rugby's highest circles.

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTR19290613.2.47.3

Bibliographic details

NZ Truth, Issue 1228, 13 June 1929, Page 16

Word Count
479

TRANSFER OF PLAYERS NZ Truth, Issue 1228, 13 June 1929, Page 16

TRANSFER OF PLAYERS NZ Truth, Issue 1228, 13 June 1929, Page 16