LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Chronicle (Levin), 5 September 1946, Page 4

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

N. D.

TILLEY,

RUGBY REFEREE'S ACTION | • -r — ' r Sir, — In reply to "One of the Crowd,".may I state that. the referee last Saturday did not exceed his authority in , asking that the crowd be put back beyond the fence. The game is controlled by uhe referee, whose place- it'is' to see fchat- the players are not inter.fered with by over-excited supporters, who run up ahd down the couch line and encroach on the .field of play. Last Saturday the visiting team brought two busloads of supporters, and these and some Wanderers supporters were inclined to run up and down the touch line, making it impossible for those at the fence, and those who paid extra for a seat in the grandstand, to see the game. Surely "One of the Crowd" Is only making pubiic his ignorance and small-town attitude in objecting to being put behind the fence, for if he were to visit the head•quarters ground of. practically every othcrv imion- in' 'Newt-Zealand he; would find that the. crowd ik kqpt behirid • an eneiosing ; f eiice, .' ' Overeager supporters of a team, who •run 'up and 'down' the touch-lines, are nothing else biit a nuisance, as well as a very upsetting influence on the players. "One of the Crowd" •knows full well that the referee concerned cannot be called officious, as that attitude is entirely foreign to his nature and all his actions are carried out in a quiet and gentlemanly manner. If "One of the Crowd" had any sense of sportsmanship, he would realise that for referee, players and spectators themselves the best arrangement is for all spectators to .be kept behind the fence. Yours

President Horowhenua Referees' Association. Levin, Sept. 4.