RUGBY FOOTBALL IN TARANAKI.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1932, Page 2

RUGBY FOOTBALL IN TARANAKI.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —In these days many have lost sight of the fact Rugby football in New Zealand owes its very existence to the generosity of the football public which has been well and truly hoaxed on a number of occasions this season.- Each Saturday I sneak a shilling .from -the family stocking and present it for admission at the park with little misgiving and much hope. Shortly afterwards I am again outside the park with more misgiving,' less hope, and minus the price of two long and foaming beers. I fancy I am one of many, Rugby is not bright enough to receive due support. I consider the N".Z.R.F.U. took a step in the right direction when it adopted the 3-2-3 formation in what I believe to be an attempt to do away with the wing-forward. Yet in Taranaki the wing-forward still prowls around the outside of the scrum waiting to nip a promising movement in the bud. The majority of football fans would prefer to see the bright back movement, I am sure. The wing-forward has to go, and it would be a commendable move on the part of the Taranaki Rugby Union and Referees’ Association to see that he does get out, instead of remaining as at present with one foot over a mangle and the other on a banana skin. The biggest trouble with Rugby to-day is that players and public alike can barely “see the wood for the trees.” To hook*the ball from a set scrum one has to be a toe-dancer and mathematician as well as a hooker; to referee a match one has to be a student of 65 pages of rulings, as well as a butt for public comment. Briefly, the object of Rugby is to carry the ball to the opponent’s goal line without knocking on, throwing forward or taking the ball from offside, yet it takes 05 pages of closely printed matter to outline this procedure to players and referees. Scrumming is wellnigh killed by the adoption of totally unnecessary rules; the referee is the sole judge of fact, and I maintain that Rugby will be better if the referee puts the ball in the scrummage. The only ruling he needs to guide him then is to see that each team has a fair chance at the ball. It has. been demonstrated both at Stratford and at Pukekura Park that anyone who cares to swot up the handbook and its rulings can tie the best of teams in knots- —provided he his the whistle in his hald. I wish it to be understood that I am not criticising referees. I state that the task has been made too heavy for them; one almost has to make a business of. the game either to play it or referee it. I trust that this letter will lead to further discussion on the subject.—l am, etc.. “WINNIE THE POOH.” Cardiff, July 31, 1932.