TRANSFER OF PLAYERS

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

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.