The University's Place In Senior Rugby

Press, Volume C, Issue 29513, 13 May 1961, Page 5

The University's Place In Senior Rugby

“ALTHOUGH ’Concerned' was replying to a letter from JJ*.S. on the possibility of two University teams being entered in the senior competition, the fact that he saw fit to place before readers suggestions as to the place of university Rugby In Christchurch and New Zealand, and while trying to analyse the constitution of the University club, made so many sweeping inaccuracies requires some ■ clarification." says a statement from the president of the University Rugby Club (Mr R. C. Stuart), and the club captain (Mr I. J. D. Hall). “On the question of the University club entering two senior teams, it should be made clear that the University club is not trying to revitalise the senior competition by entering a B team. It considers that its second fifteen is up to the present senior standard in Christchurch. It does not claim it should have a B team as of right, but would like to see a straight-out promotion-

relegation game played at the end of the season between the bottom senior team and the top senior reserve team. “If there was a University B team in the senior grade it would not as ‘Concerned’ says, mean a strengthening of the A team. One of the main reasons for University’s success in the senior grade is that it has always had good lower grade players to call on when representative games are being played, or when injuries occur. “If there was a University B team, the A team would have to call on third fifteen players as replacements, which would have some effect on the teams’ performances. “ ‘Concerned’ says that university Rugby cannot be in a healthy state because of the number of players who have to act as emergencies every Saturday and because of the number of players

who give up the game because they feel they are not good enough to make a team. “Surely ‘Concerned’ is not so far out of touch with pre-sent-day Rugby that he does not realise that all teams have emergencies and until there is a non-replacement rule teams will continue to have emergencies. It is scarcely an unhealthy sign. “As to the second statement that many players give up the game when they cannot make a team: every student of the University of Canterbury who wishes to play Rugby can do so. To our knowledge no player has ; given up the game because he cannot get a game for University. "By advocating that players who cannot find a place in their own club’s senior side should transfer to other clubs ‘Concerned’ takes no account of,one of the main bases of Rugby—loyalty to one's club. “One of the main reasons for the University club’s success in recent years has been the very strong club spirit among its players. This has been illustrated by players who cannot make the senior side preferring to continue playing for the club in its lower grades. "A similar club spirit has been one of the reasons for the success of the Linwood team, which won the senior grade last year although it contained only two representative players. The young Albion team this year is another example of courage and team spirit. “ ‘Concerned’ should realise that Rugby is not merely a question of playing senior Rugby. There are other facets to it. Playing with one’s friends is perhaps the most important, and for ‘Concerned’ to advocate a more or less general transfer system to operate' in Christchurch club Rugby shows he has little appreciation' of the bases of club Rugby. “It is certainly noticeable that clubs which rely on disgruntled and disappointed players from other clubs to bolster their strength do not play a prominent part in senior Rugby. “ ‘Concerned’ says that the entering of faculty teams in the senior grade would solve all problems facing university Rugby. The point he apparently is trying to make is that these teams would not be very strong and would therefore revitalise the present senior competition and help stimulate the playing of Rugby at the university. “To take the latter point first. There is no need to stimulate Rugby at Canterbury University. With 13 teams being fielded in open grades the club is in a very healthy state. “The revitalisation of the senior grade by University faculty teams is a matter of ’ pure conjecture on ‘Concerned’s’ part. If, as he says, their presence would tend to make the grade more even because ‘they would have their ups and downs like other clubs’ then, we presume he favours a general weakening of the senior grade, not revitalisation. “The senior grade will not be improved by every team being of an average standard. What it requires is an Improvement in the standard

of the bottom four or five teams. If the Rugby public was interested only in seeing even teams play, then the bottom four teams playing each other would be the main attraction.

“ Concerned’ goes on to say that the University club would have to make sacrifices to put a scheme of faculty teams into operation and would have to forgo the experience of winning games by 30 or 40 points. “For Concerned’s' own information the last time the University senior team scored more than 40 points in a club game was in 1955. Wins by 30 points have not been commonplace either. Admittedly this season the senior team has won three games by 30 points, but then so have other clubs won by 30 points. Perhaps it is not so much the strong teams which are at fault but that some of the club sides are well below senior standard. “Also we would like to refute the suggestion that the club has a virtual mortgage on the Harewood Trophy. The club won decisively in 1956 and 1957. but in 1958 and 1959. it only won on the last game of the season. In 1960 the club finished third, being beaten twice by Linwood and Christchurch. “There will always be one strong club side. Witness the successes of Marist and Old Boys some years ago. There was no suggestion they should be split up to even up the senior grade. “ ‘Concerned’ asks that the sportsmanship and commonsense of the University club authorities should prevail, and they should take steps to weaken the club. Surely it is not unsporting for a club to field the strong side it has, and we should think, a matter of commonsense. “He goes on to’ say that if the University club was prepared to take steps to alter its senior team’s strength, then he is sure that the Canterbury Rugby Union would be prepared to co-operate with them as far as possible.

“We can only say that there has been no intimation from the Rugby Union that it would favour the University club entering three of four faculty teams in the senior grade. Would ‘Concerned’ be prepared to say what basis or authority he has for making that statement? “ ‘Concerned* also asks if steps should be taken by the New Zealand University authorities to make more stringent the eligibility requirements of students who wish to play for the separate universities? “The New Zealand Universities Rugby Council has nothing whatsoever to do with the administration of the separate universities. It does not set eligibility standards for those clubs and is only concerned with the selection of New Zealand University teams and arranging their fixtures. “He says that ’J.P.S.’ Is stretching the reader’s imaginations a little far by saying that the seven University senior players who were regraded to senior reserve would be able to ‘fly* into other strong senior teams. “We think ‘Concerned’ would be prepared to admit that last year University fielded a strong side. As all of those seven players played for that team they are surely up to the standard of other strong sides.”