RUGBY UNION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21982, 17 June 1933, Page 20

RUGBY UNION

REVIVAL IN AUSTRALIA VICTORIA’S STRENGTH (From Our Own Correspondent.)" SYDNEY, June 8. Rugby Union enthusiasts in Australia and particularly in Sydney are in high glee, for they have still further evidence of a great revival in this code of football. For years the union game was in the doldrums, and then the excellent showing of New - South Wales against successive New Zealand teams showed that the grand old game was by no means dead. Before the present season had commenced Australia sent its best players to South Africa, and there were pessimists who said local games would suffer. Local games have not suffered, and experts say that the men who were left behind are almost as good, and in some cases better, as those who went away. The public was quick to realise the calibre of the player and the gates this season have been uniformly good—the play of particular merit. It* was feared at one time that the union game was doomed in Victoria and Queensland, and New South Wales was hampered because it could not secure interstate matches. Then, to the delight of everyone, Queensland staged a “ comeback,” and the visit of the Queensland team to Sydney this year is being keenly awaited. But the greatest surprise of all was the revival of the union game in Melbourne, where Australian Rules held sway. It is certain that no form of Rugby will ever displace Australian Rules in Melbourne. Melbourne is more “football mad” than even Sydney, and the attendance at the star game on any Saturday afternoon reaches between 50.000 and 60,000. Sydney people do not like Australian Rules, and although the big national carnival will be held here this year, it will not create any enthusiasm. New South Wales began to encourage the Victorian Rugby followers two years ago when it sent a team south, and another important move was the decision that the All Blacks that year should play in the southern capital. Any efforts that have been made to assist the Victorians have borne ample fruit, for this year Victoria sent to Sydney a team that was capable of extending the best that New South Wales could produce. But the most surprising feature of the games was not the strength of Victoria, but the size of the crowd that saw the matches. The first -game was played on Saturday afternoon, and the union authorities found it impossible to secure a ground in the city. They had to be content with a suburban oval. Then again they had as a counter attraction the first of the annual matches between those great league rivals, New South Wales and Queensland. In spite of all this the attendance exceeded 12,000 —as many as the small ground could accommodate. On Monday the second match was played at Manly with a big league game still a counter attraction. Another crowd of 10.000 attended. The quality of the play in both matches was such as to advertise the union game. While such brilliance continues the game will never die. It will grow and grow in popular favour.