RUGBY RULES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 77, 10 March 1931, Page 3

RUGBY RULES.

NEW ZEALAND PROBLEM. CONFORM OR SECEDE? "GAME IS FOR PLAYERS." MR V. R. MEREDITH'S VIEWS."•The position which 1 arises as a result of the pronouncement of the English Union is a difficult one. Apparently New Zealand must either unj conditionally abandon all right to play any variation Of Rugby rules as laid "dawn ''toy the controlling foody or secede," said Mr V. R. Meredith, past sole selector for Auckland, in an interview in that city. "Either course has disadvantages, and the decision ag to which is the greater depends on the angle from which the matter Isl considered. \ ~'\

"Rugby is primarily a gamk to fog played by the young physically s fit Jnejl of the country, and not one to to© played by a few star players and looked at by ttie rest. And it is from this view that the matter should foe considered. "The international rules' needed amending badly," continued Mr Meredith. "It is true that international players can, if they choose, make the game open ana attractive, but it is only too well known that the average club teams, particularly the 'lower .grades of younger players, cannot do so. With them the game under international rules will always develop' into a stalemate of lineouts and linekicking. That is admitted both here and in Australia. 'To abandon our amendments or the fight to make any further amendments to the rules means completely sacrificing the Interests of the general run of players —and the game is for them. ' "On the other hand, secession from Britain means the loss 6f overseas matches, and the great public interest taken in them. This is really not of very great Importance from the actual players' point of view. International games are only played at intervals ot many years, and, after all, only by a handful of Individuals. I do not know even that any great decree of good fellowship has ever followed as a result of any of them. WrfAT REPRESENTATION? "The real question is what representation, if any, is to be given New Zealand and Australia on the International Board. Any representation, to be a real one, must be one numerically strong enough to make its Influence felt and possibly effect changes in the game so badly needed. "If it were definitely clear that,such a representation were to be given, then probably it would toe la the best

interests of New Zealand football to, retain its status in an international.! code with its attendant advantages of international games occasionally, at least long enough to ascertain it there is a possibility of effecting some changes in the iules through the International Board. The attitude of the parent body in the past towards any real changes in the rules, however, has been such as not to encourage the idea of our having any such representation as would enable it to be in any way effective. ADEQUATE REWARD. "If it be felt that no such representation is to he given and that no changes in rules can be hoped for, then we should develop our own game, even at the cost of secession. It, ot course, would be desirable to work in with Australia. They are, and always have been, our natural football friends and allies. , Visits to and from them supply all the overseas fixtures we really need, and provide quite adequate reward to our premier players. To jettison our own ideas of improvement in the game and sacrifice our own players for the doubtful advantages of international visits once a decade is to make too great a sacrifice. "I know these views are contrary to the recent trend of football control in New Zealand. The tendency has , been to make a fetish of representative football, both international and inter-provincial. Club football lias been sacrificed season after season for it. We should want every youngster and young man to play football for the good it does him, and It should be the chief aim of those controlling football to provide that for them, and if It be necessary to amendthe rules to provide them with a more attractive and pleasant game to | play, then we should not deprive our • selves of the right so to do."