Dear Sir,

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 72, 27 August 1947, Page 4

Dear Sir,

Letters to the Editor must be clearly written on one side of the paper only and where a nom-de-plume is used the name of the writer must be included for reference purposes. The Editor reserves the right to • abridge, amend or withhold any letter or letters. FOOTBALL SELECTION Sir, —The petulant and regrettable outburst by Football*Fan (or should it be Fanatic?*) in last Friday’s issue of the Beacon displays to any right minded follower of Rugby a remarkable degree of bad taste as well as a great deal of ignorance of the principles the selection of representative teams. The inference one gathers is that the venom in the letter-was inspired by an acute sense of youthful frustration at the writer having been omitted from the list of selected players. Here are some points regarding selection for Football Fan to remember : , •

1. A player is selected on his fitness ability, knowledge of positional play and general football" sense. - 2. A player will not be selected unless fit regardless of his potential ability. _ 3. A player who has been selected and who fails to appear for the game giving no reason for his appearance will not again be selected no matter how good he is.

4. A player notifying an official A of the Rugby Union that he will taking no further part in club matches for the remainder of the season will not be selected .

5. The selectors reserve the right not unnaturally, to drop at any rate temporarily any player previously selected and not playing up to representative standard. 6. The members of thp first fifteen will be kept together as much as possible l in order to gain combination.

7. With a challenge for the B grade trophy imminent the selectors reserve the right to try out within reason likely eligible players as) emergencies.

It is to be hoped that Football Fan heard, at least second-hand Mr Tom Pierce’s eloquent and unstinted praise for the Whakatane team’s performance last Saturday. .That in itself was sufficient justification for the selection of the local" team, quite apart from the enthusiastic comments heard on all sides after the game. .

In conclusion, Sir, and regarding the alrqost defamatory innuendo contained in Football Fan’s letter we would say that any other points will be satisfactorily cleared up if, he would like to let us know his identity instead of taking shelter behind a nom-de-plume. We . would also remind him that only two of th,e victorious All Black team of 1947 came from the holders of the Shield’. 1

Yours etc., , THE THREE SELECTORS.