THE OTAGO RUGBY UNION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21694, 12 July 1932, Page 10

THE OTAGO RUGBY UNION

1(1 ITIE editor Sir, —The discussion at the meeting of the committee of the Otago Rugby Union on Friday night regarding the nonreplacement of injured players provides rather amusing reading. The position is that the New Zealand Rugby Union is affiliated to the English Union, and plays under the laws of the game of the English Union. These laws provide that injured players must not be replaced, but in New Zealand they have been replaced for many years past. Now the English Union has requested—practically demanded —that the New Zealand Union should adhere to the laws of the game. The New Zealand Rugby Union has given an assurance that it will do so, and has informed the various unions, affiliated ,to it—including the Otago Union —that injured players must not be replaced. The Otago Union has agreed not to replace players, and has passed on the instruction to the clubs affiliated to it. Then on Friday night Mr Janies Torrance, president of the Kaikovai Football Club, headed a deputation from members of the

various Dunedin clubs and asked that the Otago Union should ignore the instruction and allow them vtos replace injured players on the following day. Mr iorrence claimed that the Otago Union could do this, pending a reply-, to;. representations for relief beingmade.ta-the Epgush Union by the New Zealand ; .Union. Members of the committee of the Otago Union were emphatic;.in' their statements that they could not do, anything of the sort. They had received their instructions, from the New Zealand Union, .and they had agreed to follow them. They could not defy the New' Zealand Union. ; Now, this was quite the logical attitude- to take up. Then, finally, “ to show the Otago players that the committee was doing its ‘ best to help them,”: it was decided a telegram to, the I New : Zealand Union asking permission to replace injured. players on the following day. The that, it could ' not 'defy the 'New Zealand Union, but it then, calmly turned . round and asked the New Zealand Union to defy the English Union. One may, perhaps, admire / the good intentioris of the committee, but certainly, not its standard of intelligence. Permit me to congratulate the one - member of the 'committee; who voted against the motion to ask the Zealand Union to • do' something which the members :■ were ; quite aware, that, under the circumstances, it ’ had no right to do and would .not. do. —I am. etc., . . Consistency.