RUGBY FOOTBALL

Gun Flash, Issue XXVIII, 10 July 1943, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL

Tho report on the Navy Vs 151 B; a ,. match in the last issue of "Gun < ' Flash 1 ' has at last given me . the IJI- ' centivo to express some views on New Zealand’s national sport. As well as expressing those views I also wish to use the article to prove that the reporter of the above — matoh really doesn’t know very much about the gome and should confine activities to ping-pong Lu auWtnd mar les. First of all it Is obvious to anyone who basnet one eye covered that the British style of playing Rugger is far more spectacular than the Nev; Zealand style. This was proved by the 193 O'British touring side and &3lso by the Navy side which played at the Oval',. although in the latter case it Is admitted that tho referee justifiably helped to make it so. It is also obvious to many, including EnZeders who .have toured Britain, that British teams will sacrifice matches in favour.of good open football whereas NZ teams hold to the traditional 1 spoiling l game if a win is desired. By using these methods the N Z teams certainly win more matches than they lose, this being the reason for the All Black’s victories in 193 0 when the 1 spoiler sWero successfully led by Cliff Porter. Those methods, in a smaller way, also account for the 15CB teams’ victory over' the Navy side but I f&ll to see ‘ .how it could have been a better match, ..ffom tho spectators point of view, than the last one. If then, as I think most spectators will agree, the Navy side played traditional British style, how could- an Auckland coach be responsible for their play and further more how- could an Auckland player be tho ’star l unless the player and the coach, after witnessing British football, howl decided it was tho better style, I fail to see how ’Mont’ Hewitt was expected to trouble the fly-half in this match when ’breakaways’ from more experienced teems couldn’t do so. For instance did the N.Z, ’Breakaways’ have an earthly chance of worrying Tony Harris of the 1937 Sprinboksfc I will now directly attack the statement that "all of us are most thankful that the Navy team don’t have more practice"® I would suggest that ,ost of us would like to see the Navy side together more and if wo were then beaten by a superior side why should we hang our heads? I think that most of us can show a better spirit of sportsmanship than that and take a ’licking’ when it’s handed out to us* I have noticed similar opinions, to those expressed by the former writer, being expressed by a few in connection with the Regimental competition, bit

it OCbst strong enough yet to interfere with the success of the competition. i ■’ In conclusion,:' is there anything we can learn, with regard to style of play and sportsmanship, from the Navy team? I think there is - and suggest that referees again help by taking sterner views of the tactics used by forwards in the local competition.