RUGBY IMPACTIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14355, 27 October 1908, Page 10

RUGBY IMPACTIONS

VALUE OF COLONIAL TRIPS. T. SMITH SUSPENDED. (Fhom Ouk Own Cokrespondent.) LONDON, September 11. That veteran' of the Rugby field, Haniish Stuart, is the next to come forward and criticise the English Rugby Union's management' of colonial tours. He believes the union made a serious mistake in declining to finance the tour of the Australian team which is now on its way to England. It should have undertaken to run all the risk of loss and promised the Australians no more than bare expenses, instead, it has promised a minimum-of 50 per cent, of the gross gate receipts. Some of the clubs nave actually agreed to give 75 per cent, of the grass receipts—terms more liberal than tho Northern Union is giving to the professional Australians, 'l'his action, Mr Stuart considers, is particularly unfortunate in view of the fact, that both the Scottish and Irish Unions would have joined in the fixtures if the Australians had been making no money but of the tour. He continues:—" As the Australian idea' of amateurism is entirely different from our idea, aild is, indeed, a direct contradiction of the Rugby Union rules on professionalism, the action of that body is a sort of obstinate challenge to the Scottish and Irish Unions, and must harden both bodies in their opposition to colonial tours as making for professionalism rather than as aiding the cause of amateurism as the phrase is understood in the Rugby world, and as it must be interpreted 'in terms of the Rugby Union laws on the subject." ENGLISH DECADENCE? Mr Stuart will not admit that colonial and English Rugby can be fairjy compared on the results of these tours for the reason that, as he says, the best football talent in England does not belong to Rugby, but to the other code. For the same reason, if British Rugby were admitted to be slightly inferior'to colonial, that would not involve an admission of athletic decadence in England. VALUE OF COLONIAL TOURS. As for the value of colonial tours, Mr Stuart says:—" There is, I' think, a decided tendency (due lo sentimental consideration) to over-estimate the value of colonial 'tours botli from the playing and the political points of view. From this rather sweeping generalisation I except the South African lour. That tour, if one may judge from what some of the South Africans said in private conversations, really had political consequences, in so far as the, Afrikander section of the side soon acquired a very different and far more favourable opinion of British folk than they had when they left Home. From the playing point of view the tour ought to have"been productive of much good to the. game, for the South Africans afforded the'most convincing proof that- tho modern 'fourthree' game could be played most effectively and attractively without recourse being had to what may be termed technical tricks. The South Africans demonstrated that straight running by centres, accuracy in giving and taking passes (however plain the movement), and speed and resolution in the wings, would win matches behind half Ducks and forwards playing an honest game. They had no new system to exploit, explain, and defend. , The Australians will probably teacli us little in the matter of methods. One may expect the colonials to win most of their matches, though one is not justified in anticipating the same sustained success as the New Zealanclcrs and South Africans achieved." ANOTHER ANGLO-WELSH SUSPENSION. The Rugby Union the other night suspended T. Smith,n of the Midland Counties, for breaches of the professional rides. Smith is a Leicestershire player and a member of the Anglo-Welsh team now returning from New Zealand. ANGLO-AVELSH TOUR. Mr J. L. Williams continues, in tho. South Wales Daily News, his account o! the dungs of the Anglo-Welsh football loam in Now Zealand. Willi reference to the Wangamii match he is rather outspoken in his criticisms. Tie snys: "Many of the tactics of the local team were certainly not conducive to good feeling, an/ 1 what we rf«mted most behind the- scrummage was the offside positions taken up iby the opposing backs, and the impunity with which the wing forward was permitted to come round on Laxon and prevent him getting the ball away after the forwards had got possesion, as they continued to do in good style." As to the Taranaki match he is lees severe. Of this be says: "With the exception of one incident the game was exceedingly well carried out, and was played in the 'best possible spirit, and was thoroughly enjoyed by both sides, in striking contrast to the one at Wangamii just four davs before. The experience of playing with spectators gazing down from a height of about 120 f- iis certainly novel, and will long be remembered."