THE FIRST LEAGUE TEST THROUGH RUGBY EYES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18046, 5 January 1927, Page 5

THE FIRST LEAGUE TEST THROUGH RUGBY EYES.

« OLD INTERNATIONAL ” GIVES IMPRESSIONS. Dr Thacker has received.’the following interesting ••Tester * regarding the first League .test against England ; from Mr Jw>o!Saughpessy,. of .Christchurch, who accompanied the team on its visit to England:-. . - Rugby League football is. .at last, receiving the recognition that is its flue, from' at least one quarter in London, journalism. ’ For very many years- it has been ignored, or,, if noticed at all; it has. been written of as something distasteful, something . that fnuSt lie merely tolerated, arid at all times must not be.treated on its merits. Matches, I am told, have been played in London, bilt..the. critics have ever damned them with faint praise. . • Last week-end one of these critics, who by the way is an old-Rugby Union international, journeyed to Hull to see the second test match*against England and I. append below his account of the game,- as it appeared; in . the London “ Observer,” under the noni dc plume of “Old*lnternational.” Some.of his remarks are very significant, coming as they do from one who, admittedly, is a -staunch Union Rugby supporter. Here is the article in question: “ England won the second Rugby League test match with the touring New Zealand All Black L cague team at Hull recently by 21 points to 11. The English side won on their merits; they were the better team, though the New Zealand team put up a stubborn fight and never relaxed, their efforts. Before anyone brought up on Union Rugby football can attempt to describe fairly his impressions of a Rugby League game, he must rid himself of certain preconceived notions. Most people in the Rugby Union game have the idea that all who are connected with the League game are paid for their services or compensation lor lost time. The facts are that, of nearly five hundred League clubs, only twenty-nine which take part in the code in the North, and. a few others, in other parts of the country, amounting in all to less than fort}* - , employ professional players. The vast majority of the players are therefore amateurs in fact, and all the officials, ex-

cept the secretaries, are strict amateur too, who are not paid in any wav fo their services. The All Blacks/ toe are all amateurs.

” The. English team was composed of paid professional players. Since the war there has been no amateur good enough to be chosen for an English team, though before the war there was a certain number. The teams are chosen entirely on merit. It is no handicap on a man to be an amateur. If he is good enough, he will be chosen to play in the English team. The professional players all have occupations and are not paid by the League in the off or close season. Thev receive a. lump sum on registering 'as a professional and afterwards an agreed sum for each match in which they pla)' or act as reserve, the amount varying according to whether the game is won, lost or drawn.

Looking: at this test as an exhibition of football, and ■without concerning oneself as to the status of the plajTsrs, it must be confessed that the game -was well worth watching and well worth the trip of 2(X) miles from London. The pla3' was of a very high order. It was exciting all through, and was played at- a terrific pace, which speaks volumes for the fitness of the players. The .speed of the movements and the lightning changes in the fortunes of the game were largely the result of the rule prohibiting kicking into touch, except from a penalty kick. What pleased me most was the way in which the man with the ball always made ground. There were no standstill passes. Individual running and dodging were clever, and the kicking above the average, in both length and accuracy. The way in which the backs handled the wet, heavy and greasy ball was admirable; the backing up was good, and the scrummage work was clean and quick. I was disappointed with the tackling. There was not a single di'opped-goal, probably, the result of the scoring points— two points for any sort of goal. Some of the players, Petersen, Singe, Avery, and Gregory, of the All Blacks, and Parkin, Rix, Sullivan, Thomas, and Gallagher, of the Englishmen, were good enough for any team in the country, and the combination on both sides was much above that to be seen in most international matches. There are points in this League game that could Ik* introduced into the Union game with great advantage to the latter game, though the dying-out of the dropped goal is to be deplored. I was told that this game was typical of the League game, though in some club games, with perfected combination, the play is of a higher standard. This is as it may be, but, candidly, I saw much in this game to be admired and enjoyed. The present impression left in my mind after the game is regret that such wealth of material, such individual skill and keenness, should be lost to the Rugby Union.” This article, says Mr O’Shaughnessy, surel}' - stands alone and speaks for itself, for the benefit of both the rivals, and the supporters, of the League code in the Dominion.