Selection Of Fourth Grade Rugby Reps.

Chronicle (Levin), 3 August 1949, Page 2

Selection Of Fourth Grade Rugby Reps.

(To the Editor) Sir,— May I encroach On your valuable space to offer my views on foothall mat'ters in general, with emphasis on the unfair attaek made by two apparently biased correspondents in Friday's issue. 1 submit that had either of these writers been even poor sports they would have waited until the seleced players had been given an onportunity of proving whether or not they were bad or indifferent. Such strong words as those use'd, "that the selector has used the privilege of his position to offer a studied insult to a team," surely reek of hias, while the illuminating disclosure that an unsuceessful appeal has been made to the N.Z. Rugby Union leaves no doubt that the writer must apparently occupy a most privileged position also, possessing inside information, as readers generally will be agreeably surprised to hear that an appeal has been made, let alone decided. Just as long as the Horo whenua Rugby Union adheres to its sole selector policy, injustices will be done, but the writer? feels certain that readers will support his views that letters of the type submitted by biased "Unbiased" will do the gravest injustice. "Is there any connection between 'this incident. and the number of Rahui players selected, and is the selector not a strong supporter of the Rahui club," seems to be an attempt to belittie the Rahui club also. Such questions could never emanate from the pen of an j sport. Why does he not go the whole hog, and inquire into the credentials of all supporters and v voluntary workers in the union? Was not the Rahui-College A incident the outcome of one club questioning the result which followed the action of a strong supporter of the opposing team? There is only one answer. It is "yes." If the selector was not an ardent supporter he would not be giving his bime and "Unbiased," who has an axe to grind, knows the answer. The remark of "Fair Play" that the selector had eyes only for his own end of the district, is also one below the belt, and would have been far better left to foment where it was nurtured. Other clubs have had to accept pro rata representation in rep. matehes, but they have taken their medicine and have not squealed. Certain conditions are laid down to be taken into consideration by selectors, such as attendances at practice, and then again the best of players have their days off. These factors are decided by the selector and by him alone. I venture the opinion that very few of the countless district supporters of "rugby, within the union and without, are happy even now in their own minds that the best senior team has been selected. The season is shaping wonderfully well, attendances and gates are a record and yet the senior reps selected are not quite up to what was expected, but the majority of sports "can take it," just as the Rahui and other clubs can. There has been no attempt to blitz the senior selector, and it is too, too bad that your eorrespondents could not have offered something constructive when they had to rush into print. May I offer the suggestion that it is apparent at this stage that the sole selector policy may be the wrong approach. With players spread over a wide area the job is herculean, and the man appointed has done a grand job under the circumstances. He is only human, however, and can err. One recalls a reported Union discussion a matter of a week or so ago when Mr. Winiata, a selector, gave it as his opinion that a certain' set of backs were lacking something. His views were not supported by Mr. Oliver. There we have the position in a' nutshell. The remedy to my way of thinking is for the union to import an outside selector, • the help of a Manawatu official is near at hand,, to confer with not one but the three selectors appointed, and institute an elimination series of trial games. Mix the ingredients, as an earlier

critic says, but mix them'all, as' j follows : Athletic and Wanderers lcombined to play Shannon and | Foxton oombined, and Hui Mai and i Paraparaumu to play Rahui and Qtaki combined. Club rugby has Inot had the desired results, and it 'is not too late to give every player a better chance of big match atmosphere by a congregation of talent in the various towns. All sections of the union's territory would he catered for and supporters who keep . the wheels turning would be given greater variety, while, the aggregate gates would make the effort well worth the trouble. How about it union members? A parting shot for Rahui: Your most interesting sports page commentators deplore the fact that the five-eighths position has not been too well fllled. Rahui has a member who holds the Freyberg Cup, won in Japan by a five-eighths, who also filled that position very capably in Otago before his transfer to the north. Should be- worth a trial, and he is in the B. reps as a winger. Yours, etc., I "FOR THE GLORY OF SPORT." Otaki, Aug. 2;