THIRD TEST VENUE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1005, 23 June 1930, Page 1

THIRD TEST VENUE

SHOULD BE PLAYED AT WESTERN SPRINGS EDEN PARK INADEQUATE The decision of the New Zealand Rugby Union to play the third test match against the British team at Eden Park instead of at the Western Springs Stadium is not meeting witn the approval of Rugby men. Fears are expressed not only that the ground will not accommodate the huge crowd that will be offering, but that difficulty will be experienced by many who are admitted in obtaining a view of the match. At the Stadium it is estimated that a crowd of 65,000 would be able to obtain a view of the game. The following letter, advocating the use of the Western Springs Stadium as the ground for the playing of the British matches in Auckland, has been received by The Sun: The Rugby Union evidently seems determined to go ahead with its idea of playing the British games at Eden Park. In view of this determination it seems quite evident that finance is its first and only consideration and not the education and comfort of the people. Is it not due to the public of Auckland which h;»s given loyal sup • port to the code in the past, that it l>«* given the opportunity of viewing the games in comfort which certainly wil*. not be the case at Eden Park. At the most this ground will carry comfortably about 30,000 people. Thes<* crowds, and more, have attended th*games already played at Southern centres with populations not half that of Auckland. Can Mr. Frost tell u* what is going to happen, say, at 2 p.m

‘in the day of the test with 30,000 to 40,000 people in the ground and another 10,000 to 15,000 outside the gates striving to get in? Are these 15,000 or so going to stand around calmly and quietly and hear the shouts and plaudits of the crowd inside No. sir, I predict otherwise and serious trouble for the officials on that ground. An army of police and officials will not hold that crowd back. I further predict that the game will commence on time but will never be completed. Crowds have taken charge* of affairs on many occasions such as this and I can see similar trouble at Eden Park. Remember that minor affair on the oo ca-sion of the South African visit! Now let the Rugby Union show a little common s 4 ense and due consideration for tlie public and play these games «< the Stadium, where 50,000 or 60,000 can view the games ir. comfort. PONTIAC. IMPORTANCE OF THIRD TEST “Whatever happens in the second test it is the third test now that will be the big attraction. There will be a record attendance and Eden Park will he totally inadequate to deal with them.’* said an ex-All Black footballer to a Sun representative this morning. lie pointed out that whether New Zealand won the next test or not, the position by July 26 would be extremely interesting. Many Rugby enthusiasts would make the trip to Auckland from other provinces anti together with tremendous interest that would be worked up locally Eden Park would be called upon to accommodate a far greater attendance than ever before. When the Springboks played New Zealand at Auckland and when the 1924 team played Auckland there were many who managed to get inside the ground but saw very little of the game. Now he thought the position would be almost twice as bad. “HARD LUCK*' “It will be hard luck if among those, who are unable to view the match there are regular supporters of the* game,’* said a prominent club official.

“and this will be hard to avoid if the controlling authorities insist upon playing the game at Eden Park.” He pointed out that at the stadium it was estimated that about 60,000 people would see the game without difficulty. There would be no need to arrive two or three hours before the game started as even those arriving at half-past two would still able to get a view of the ground. In the event of wet weather this was very important as there would not l«e the same necessity of hugh crowds of people standing for hours in the rain.

He pointed out also that although there was a public grandstand at Ed- n Park the actual seating accommodation that would be available to the public after the official allocations were made would be so small that it would make little difference, and was not a factor to be taken into consideration when dealing with the possibility of wet weather. Another Rugby man estimated that in view of the reputation that the tourists had for fast, open plaj* and their performance against New Zealand in the first Test, a crowd of 50,000 would not be outside tha bounds of possibilitj*. He was quito sure that Eden Park could not accommodate a crowd of such proportions. In the event of any troubla occurring the New Zealand Rugby Union, which was responsible for the arrangements, would be carrying a big responsibility and it would be well advised to reconsider its decision while there was still time.