SOCCER AND RUGBY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16375, 24 June 1927, Page 3

SOCCER AND RUGBY

GRATIFYING CO-OPERATION (Notes by "Onlooker.") The solution of the difficulty in respect to tho Maori Rugby team's and the Canadian soccer team's visits to' Gisborne was received with pleasure bv the followers of both codes, even though the conduct of the double bill on the one day means a loss of revenue. It is reasonable to suppose that the public would have turned out in force to see the Canadians without the added attraction of the Maori game as a curtain-raiser; and the same applies to the patronage uf the Maori v. Poverty Bay game. However, since the two games cannot be played in opposition, and no other date is available for the visit of the Maoris to Gisborne, no better course could have been found than t 0 play the two games on the one ground and on the same day, making one charge for the two outstanding attractions, and dividing the net proceeds between the bodies representing the two codes. Tn every way the arrangement should be highly gratifying to the public, as the charges will be the same, practically, as would have been charged for either of the fixtures had they been played on separate dates. The writer of these notes has been informed that soccer'men feel that not enough credit is being given to their code, for its complaisance in connection with tho clash. The, proposal that the two matches be played on the same ground was made by the Poverty Bay Football Association 'lirst, it is claimed, and tlie New Zealand Council of the Football Association agreed to the plan, though it meant a loss of revenue, probablv, as a. result of sharing the proceeds. The. P.B.F.A. loses nothing by the sharing, all receipts over Hie local expenses having to bo remitted to the New Zealand Council; on the other hand, tho Poverty Bay Rugby Union will lose money by sharing ifs date with another body, and also sharing the gate. Since harmony lias .been so soundly exemplified, if is unwise to raise questions as to where the credit should lie, more especially in view of the fad that when the Poverty Hay Rugby Union agreed not to put. on any big attractions oil Ihe date of the Canadian visit, it had not anticipated the decision of the N.Z.B.F.U. to send the Maori team to Gisborne on that date, and the rather abrupt refusal of the same body to make any change in the Maoris' itinerary. Some Rugby men, it.may be said, were of the. opinion that in these circumstances there was nothing to do but accept, the Maori visit, and conduct the in opposition to the Canadians' game. Fortunately, there was little support for this suggestion.