RUGBY

Southland Times, Issue 20664, 20 April 1929, Page 18

RUGBY

THE WING-FOIiWARD.

DESTROYER OF OPEN FOOTBALL.

“BILLY” STEAD SAYS, “CUT HIM OUT.”

Is the wing-forward a necessary adjunct to modern Rugby? Since New Zealand's Rugby giants crossed swords with the mighty Springbok last year this question, along with that of New Zealand’s scrum formation, has been discussed in every Rugby village, town and city from North Cape to the Bluff. Varying opinions have been expressed, but the weight of opinion appears to favour cutting the wing-forward out. With a view to placing before Times readers the suggestions and ideas of experts on the subject, “Onlooker” has waited upon several gentlemen of mark in the football world and obtained their views. In the following article Mr J. M. ("Billy ) Stead, vice-captain of Dave Gallaher s famous “1905’5,” recounts the advent of the wingforward and what he has done to “spoil’ modern Rugby. “Billy” is definite in his advocacy of the doing away of the wingforward. He says: “For eome time past various Rugby critics have hinted that the standard of play in the Dominion pastime is not as high as it should be, and what is of local importance is brought home to one when our own Rugby Union blame their loss of revenue to that low standard. There is no use shutting our eyes to the fact (and those of lift who have had 30 years knowledge of our game know that such is the easel, but how can we remedy it? I think it must, be conceded that the players of to-day have just all those physical attributes which are as necessary to-day as a couple of decades ago. although the disquieting thought will ever recur that they are not used with the same earnest effectiveness a.s of old.

The player takes his "Rugby" too casually, Is often fur from "fit,” and-often knows as little of the tactics of his team as he does about the condition of the’ studs on his boots. There is a va,~t difference between that type and the player who makes a “hobby” of it.

“My purpose in writing this article is to 'place before our clubs the advisability of doing away with the wing-forward. From an International standpoint it would be a wise and timelj- change and I feel that should Southland be alone in this change that her playing status would not suffer.

To the younger generation it may appear a novel, perhaps dangerous, experiment, but it would be no innovation. The playing positions of fifteens during close on half a century’s evolution of the game in New Zealand have been most varied, but when I first went North with a “Rep.” team (in 1896) we played no wing-forwards, yet with a full knowledge that in Wellington we would have two (the famous “Off-side” McKenzie, —Hardcastle combination) against us. It was early in this game that we had to perforce use one winger as the referee (contrary to South Island procecdure) insisted on a player putting the ball in the scrum.

About, that period and for some time the delightful chain-passing of Otago backs and, in a lesser degree, also Southland, was the finest in New Zealand, and both teams played without the winger. Subsequently an all round decree of the referees’ forced this end of the island to adopt one winger although the North still played two and eventually got the placing of to-day, which was a compromise between the North Island of one “five” and two wingers as aginst the two “fives” and one winger in the South. This was in 1903-4-5.

“Let me here say that for a long period we did not regard the winger a.s the calamity he now Is, for we still had the compact scrum and the delightful quick hookings which are of the past now. and it. took a particular artist, in the position of winger to catch the scrum-half in possession.

“This brings me to the one hope I have in my first suggestion, and that is. that with the referee putting the ball in. the scrum may regain the high standard of twenty years ago; that we may again see the ball shoot out to a half who will not be nearly throttled in attempting to give the public the open back games of that period. It has always puzzled me why the referees should think that a player can put the ball in fairer than they. In a NewZealand trial in Christchurch I think the referee blew six times before the winger got it in to suit him, and although this is an exceptional case it marks the pinnacle note of “mix-ups” between the wingers; also the hookers which over a number of seasons have now got almost beyond his control. I really sympathize with the referees in their arduous task although I think they will agree that my .suggestion would make it easier for them. “Perhaps it is as well that I can only touch the fringe of these suggestions or I will take up too much space, but I cannot resist the chance to say that I blame the new rules more than anything for our lack of football with a method in it. The standard was certainly low when the creeping popularity of League Football, in Auckland particularly, forced the New Zealand Rugby Union info the belief that Rugby was evidently a “cart-horse” game, that, it had no thrill or the speed to attract its former admirers, and they immediately embraced the Amended Rules with the result that they lost tactics in Rugby which have never been, and never can be. regained. We don’t need to be reminded of the recent tour in South Africa when, on playing the real Rugby rules our team were bottled up with tactics considered out-of-date but still as effective as when about 1901 the Canterbury team, led by H. Frost, with a forlorn set of backs “cleaneel up” the South Island (Otago being particularly strong) by simply getting possession and keeping it all day. That possession which was an asset to a team weak in backs under the old rules is often a .curse to a similar team under the new.

“One could go on “ad infinitum” with examples but. the most potent, fact is, that despite the vaunted superiority of the Modern game, if we want to dominate the Rugby world we will have to play Rugby. The amended rules were not necessary. We only wanted a return to the standard which prevailed when Stoddart’s, the N. Z. Natives and Anglo-Welsh teams met such worthy opponents in New Zealand. “I am quite aware that I have only made my suggestions in a somewhat vague style but. I hope that, others may think over them and that clubs may discuss them although the final decision is with the referee whose co-operation in the manner I have indicated is absolutely vital. . Should that official be disposed to act as a winger and put the ball in, the rule “that two men may make a scrum” may again be enforced with a resultant quickening of the game.” Next week it is hoped to have another of these interviews published. Footballers, football administrators and the general public are invited to contribute or critize. —“Onlooker.” »