"PUT THE BOOT IN."

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 154, 29 June 1907, Page 9

"PUT THE BOOT IN."

(By P. 1. Vaile.) ; Rugby football is without question a great game. I always think it has a far greater. >claim to rank as -England's national game than has cricket, for to excel at it one has need of all those qualities which go to make a good Ens_lishniau. Strength, speed, stamina, quickness and originality of thought, restraint in time of great excitement, dogged courage in facing danger, and indifference to physical pain are only some of the attributes which the distinguished Rugbeian should possess. So in many ways I consider that Rugby, properly played, brings out the man and the gentleman in a fellow more than does any other game I know of.

I shall never forget the pleasure I had from watching many of the historic struggles of the famous All Blacks in England, nor the pride I felt in them as worthy representatives of the manhood of New Zealand; and in their natural and unassuming demeanour on the field at a time when hero-worship was at its height, and a less well-balanced lot might have succumbed to the heady draught; and only those who have tasted its exhilaration in the only place that makes fame know that by comparison champagne flows like milk. But above all this there was, and is, cause for New Zealanders,, footballers and . otherwise, always to be proud of her All Blacks, and to emulate their example. They played the game! Nobody can say it more eloquently than that if allowed the free run of a dictionary and a fortnight to do it in. They played a clean, bard, fast, sportsmanlike game that won admiration in spite of much idiotic railing at the wing forward by ignorant persons. But people who do not quite understand how they are being beaten cannot be expected to "thoroughly apprSeiate the tactics leading to their downfall. So when volleying was first introduced into lawn tennis, the enterprising fellow who bounded to the net and cut off in mid-air his opponent's most telling returns was deemed in very truth a bounder. Perhaps the most remarkable match I saw in England was Oxford University v. New Zealand. During my visits to'the Old Country I had noticed that strange disintegration of the moral fibre of England's men that is undoubtedly taking place. About the date of New Zealand's first match I had a three weeks' controversy in the "Spectator" on the subject, and in "The Times" and "Daily Mail " I pointed out most forcibly that the New Zealanders 'tour meant something more than mere football; that, indeed, it was a question of the manhood of the nation being tried out, and I did not hesitate to indicate clearly what my opinion as to the result was. New Zealand and South Africa have since emphasised my view, and probably Australia will drive the argument home. Holding these views it was only natural that I should be much interested in the meeting of Oxford University and our players. "Here," I said to myself, "I shall see the pick of the brainy muscle of the kingdom pitted against the NewZealand lads." 1 scanned the teams with the utmost interest as they filed on to the ground, and I was well pleased. . In bone and brawn and inches it was New Zealand every time: but my hyper-critical faculty was not satisfied with that. I searched the faces, and compared the carriage and so far as it is given to an ordinary student of men to know, I saw in the boys from Greater Britain no want of intellect, strength of mind, or refinement as compared with • England's elect. High words, perhaps, some will say. When I praise.l mean it. Indiscriminate adulation is nearly as bad a habit as general swearing. When the -words are really wanted—when, for instance; pie kicks a

trunk in'"the dark one 's big toe—< they have lost thoirlWyer ot expre3-. sion. HHi From the moment"th e referee's whistle went it was apparent" that the Oxford match was going tolgfve po int to my remarks' about England's me n. For some ten minutes or so there was of 'defence—then aTroirfc I shall never forget tbe absolutely>jb^ v ji de red condition of. the poor Varsity :_fltf ycrs . Hunter that day was meteoric. in and out amongst his onponenjs'in a manner that was truly aniazing'pi Such dodging, or swerving as it is rai6__jj ed i n England, I never before saw. %_ "cut in" almost at will, and on oneMcasion. after passing everyone, walketf: o ver the' line between the posts andtouehed down amidst shouts of laughter eJai _ ro m the Varsity barraekers. was miserably stereotyped and feeb|; an d the 'score 47 to 0 barely difference of the teams. The match,vif__ uc]l it can be called, was a niemora]p one . it was the first.meeting of aigJEngHsh University team with a team :gpt\ew Zealand footballers, and it resolfa i tse if into a team of big bronzed fellows actually playing with,^ arcely against, a team of senu-pararte} anxious looking youths. ■-',- This may sound H§, C rowing over the defeat of an It is not so, for were that the object, a dozen other matches might added . M tle . sire is to emphasise Rvalue of strength, and quickness of re S o& ce , and, above all things the desirability: of -playing the game" even under tnejmost adverse circumstances, OxforflS was hopelessly beaten within a quarter of an hour, and abandoned any hopgHjf scoring, merely attempting to defendf-"but from first to last there was no incident in that match whicn might bring the flush of shame +o the face of any participant in it; and this brings mc right home again to Auckland. :. A few days ago I patched a football match between some' Auckland gentlemen, ex-college boys, and 1 saw some things that "gave mc furiously to think " There has been much -talk in the South recently of foul play. It isn't all-in- the South. AYe have our share of it here. One of the teams was being beaten! Certainly not as badly as Oxford was, but it didn't take it the same way as, Oxford did. 'Tut the boot in," said one ruffian, as they formed up tor a scrum, and they did /-put the boot, in" to good effect, as one.player had to five up the game for a.few weeks and wear., four stitches fn his head ' On another occasion I saw one of the ex-college gentlemen, on the ground in a -scrum. He was across opponent who lay on the ground lice upwards.- I observed that college gentleman . roughly! "sawing" the -face ofhis prostrate opponent with the bony part of his forearm, which he drew back.ward's and forwards across it several times.. On the line outv^l;frequently saw players who had no chance of getting, at the ball deliberately ifwipe" the. man who was marking them across the faceor throat with the -.forearm.

On several occasions I saw players who were nowhere-near the ball hit an opposing player on|j|e face with open hand, striking withitlje palm at the end of the wrist, in which way, as is well known, a very severe;blow can be dealt, especially when not expecting it. I repeatedly saMgnayers trying to strain their opponents' necks, and wilfully attacking men/iwho were not near the ball. On onefpccasion I saw an ex-college gentlemarifiraeing after the ball. There were .many players mi both v and.--one_ of. the opposition was "near Sim." He "landed" him on the headT'feoni behind, and promptly "downed"-him. "■ During a scrummage I distinctly saw an ex-college gentleman jump with- all his energy so that.'he" landed with both knees doubled up oil the chest of a fallen opponent, and later'on I saw another one holding a player.'down on the ground. I cannot fully explain the hold in the press, but the man"- seemed to be in pain, and on .rismgvffarmly remonstrated with the offenders-hut, of course, it was an accident! ' When things were going very badly I heard another ex-college gentleman say, "Now, then, lads. ■-~You know your game. Keep the-boot going." And the blood-stained shins .of their opponents showed clearly that'they did know that porticrfl of their game, at least very well, but even then they; didn't win, and the lads who played the game like men and gentlemen beat them handsomely. Now the question arises, "If these things are done by-players who practically claim to be: on" an equality with University men, what are the All Blacks of the future going to be?" ' The answer is easy All blackguards. As I stood within a few feet of the players and saw these things my mind flew back to the Crystal Palace, to Cardiff, to Blackheath, to many places where clear-cut football gems stand out brightly in my mind, andl could not help °cpmparing these fellows with men who play the game.

It is many a long year since I played Rugby football, butT can well remember the solid satisfaction I felt in my man, especially when he had only- mc to beat to score; and I didn't try to do it gently, either. That doesn't come into Rugby, and so long as a man has the ball he must take "anything that comes his way fairly, but Jhis everlasting foul play which is cohtinually increasing, must be. stopped unless the game is to become. Americanised and lose its hold on the people. I have spoken to some of the Ruo-bv authorities about it. They know St Is not exactly confined to ex-college or alleged ex-college gentlemen, knd° some day there will be a shocking example and someone will "go up 'for life." ' During the matches I refer to I was moving up and done the line; and so 1 and others saw the things T rof Q ,. <■ .- ~ ~ o *• l ciei xo distinctly.

"What about the referee?" • Well he is not argus-eyed, and a pleasant gentlemen know that hie must follow the leather. The ] ; eye 3 pires should be. gTveni SOffle «£»- powers with regard to ,f oul la f they can see much more of thit i . thing than the refereejC. a al a a uUroririe y s. SllOUld * * V b ?.««

The teams referred to.hv „,- playing under the Rugby JjJ «» gj practices referred to ar c not rr ._ firl , ' them. I have repeatedly fe* t l ° deal with this matter,: an d w aSke l t0 declined, for although W£l °l ten c , ° ■* • u 'iVe SfPn Tr»f--of rough play one realises that TWk not a. lady's game; buY W hp„ gb / ls gentlemen 7u X " Colle S e out to maim or incapacitate t l n^ mselves nents, often in the mpk'.cnwardlv oPP °" it is time for someone to spealIt is no uncommon thin<r t when fairly "grassed"~. 0 larer that he will "lay" f^ 0 ™ hls colweek or two ago I saw and a or ten yards over the line ,Lf Uyer ei ghfc effort to throw a man, him keenly, but absffluteiv i^. ta *-«l a little while before. - le Sitrm.ately 5 Which shall it be. "An «. , '-■'* '-, "All Blackguards".? -: Blacks" 05