Rugby crowd

Press, 1 July 1983, Page 12

Rugby crowd

Sir,—Having experienced the wrath of a one-eyed Canterbury crowd as an opposition player I know full well the adverse effect it can have on certain players, especially the goal-kickers. Most home crowds save their loudest cheers for their own team, but the policy of Canterbury crowds openly to boo the opposition kicker while he is attempting a shot at goal has for many years disgusted me and likewise, no doubt, thousands of other loyal Canterbury supporters. I clearly recall Mr Ron Don taking control of the Eden Park microphone during a final All BlacksLions test with a firm request to the crowd to refrain from booing, especially when the opposition was attempting a kick at goal. The chairman and executive of the Canterbury Rugby Union could do well to follow suit. — Yours, etc., K. G. MALE. June 29, 1983.

Sir,—Today I felt almost ashamed to call myself a Kiwi, but by the same token, I felt very thankful that I was not a Cantabrian. I am referring of course to the unsports-man-like behaviour of the Canterbury supporters at the match against the Lions. Canterbury deserved to win, but when analysing the result, one must remember that the Lions scored three tries to two, and the difference in points was the result of Robbie Deans’s kicking as against that of Hugo McNeill. Surely the “crowd” could have been gracious enough to allow McNeill the silence to which he was entitled, when he attempted the conversion

of the final try instead of that disgusting booing episode. When will they learn? — Yours, etc., F. I. GALT, Invercargill. June 28, 1983.

Sir,—May I make a plea through your columns to the executive of the Canterbury Rugby Supporters’ Club. Would they please embark on a re-education programme of the minority of their members who do sportsman-like things like clapping when the opposition does something well. Some actually remained silent instead of booing when the Lions took shots at goal in Tuesday’s match. We all know that is not the Canterbury way. I look forward to more ill-mannered behaviour when the Canterbury rugby team next plays on Lancaster Park. After all, the nation-wide, in fact world-wide reputation of the Lancaster Park rugby crowd must be maintained. — Yours, etc.,

BRIAN C. GARDNER, Broadfield. June 28, 1983.

Sir,—Why is it that Cantabrians boo. Every time I hear a Christchurch sports crowd become vocal I hear this disgusting booing of the opposing team, in particular when it is obviously most unnecessary. I listened to the radio broadcast of the Lions v. Canterbury rugby match and once again I was almost ashamed to be a New Zealander. For this reason I feel it necessary to point out to your readers, Lions rugby players, visitors to New Zealand and the people of Britain who will view television coverage of the game, that Christchurch is the only place in New Zealand that this terribly ungracious noise emits from; certainly not from Northland. — Yours, etc., KELLY BOWLING, Whangarei. June 28, 1983.