RUGBY REVELATIONS

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6598, 12 May 1925, Page 5

RUGBY REVELATIONS

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —As a new arrival in Te Aroha I witnessed the first senior match of the season on Saturday last, between Terriers and Waihou. I understand these teams are old rivals, and judging by Saturday’s game promise to remain rivals in more ways than one. “Stoush” was evident early in the game. Now, a fair amount of said “stoush” is permissable in the best of Rugby games, as witness the famous Brownlie incident in England. But players should not go out of their way to deal it out, as several players did on Saturday, obscuring the importance of the game to their own personal animosities. Jerseys were torn — an expensive and unnecessary pastime —and several players in the scrums were manhandled more than the ball. I understand the spectators expect to see a good deal of scragging, and would be disappointed if they did not get it. In fact, several were giving advice tp various players to “go for it.” The ground was very

dry and hard on Saturday, which affected really good play, and of course many players are green yet. Another matter that surprised me was the multi-coloured jerseys worn by players—in a senior team, too. Almost any Rugby Union of any pretensions these days will insist on senior teams turning out neatly, and in some cases levy fines for non-observance of this important matter. One player on Saturday had on a white sweater similar to the referee’s, and no doubt was frequently mistaken for the referee. Another had on a cardigan coat! Ye Gods! Fancy an All Black turning out in a cardigan coat, or a pair of long pants. One is just as ridiculous as the other. Players also seem to indulge in a lot of talking—an. offence which should be strictly dealt with—the captain is the man to do all that. City teams are a treat to watch, and city dwellers often deride country games, charging players with crudeness and lacking the finer points of the game. But there is absolutely no reason why ax properly controlled Union should not raise local play to almost as high a grade as in the city. The material is available, but several old customs should be scrapped and new ideas introduced. I am, etc., BETTER RUGBY.