SIMPLE EXPLANATION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 274, 18 November 1937, Page 9

SIMPLE EXPLANATION

WHAT’S WRONG WITH RUGBY? “SPRINGBOKS FAR TOO GOOD” WELLINGTON SUGGESTIONS [ Pet Press Association. ) WELLINGTON, Nov. 16. The attitude the New Zealand Rugby Union had taken up following the defeats by the Springboks in the Test matches was anything but complimentary to the Springboks, said Mr J. N. Millard, chairman of the Management Committee of the Wellington Rugby Union, at a meeting tonight. “The New Zealand Rugby Union appeared to imagine that there was something radically wrong with the game in this country, whereas the simple explanation was that the other side had been far too good for us,” he said. Mr J. T. King said that the New Zealand Union appeared as if they wished to put the blame for New Zealand’s defeats in the Test matches on to the provincial unions. Mr H. T. Bollard suggested that the books of rules issued from time to time to the schools should contain hints upon coaching. Mr Millard stated that the Rugby handbook edited by Messrs T. A. Fletcher and W. J. Wallace had been very helpful in this direction. The secretary, Mr A. E. Neilson, said that thousands of these handbooks had been sent out to schools in all parts of the Dominion. Mr .Millard agreed that the handbook should be brought up to date every few years and sent out to the schools.

Mr Millard said the New Zealand Union should be advised to obtain a report from its selectors and those who had watched the Springboks in action upon New Zealand’s weakness in scrum formation. The average man in the Dominion, he said, did not know how to pack a 4-3-1 scrum. It was senseless to talk about reverting to the 2-3-2 scrum. The reason the 2-3-2 scrum had been discarded was because with such a diamond-shaped formation it was impossible to get the ball when opposed by a three-fronted scrum. «The New Zealand Union should obtain a report from competent observers of the Springboks upbn New Zealand’s weaknesses with the three-fronted scrum. That report, if it were obtained, could be incorporated in the school handbook.

With regard to suggestions for remits for the Imperial Rugby Conference, Mr Millard said they should advise the New Zealand Union that unions and clubs desired as few alterations to the laws as possible.