ROUGH RUGBY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 890, 9 August 1910, Page 5

ROUGH RUGBY.

'■ SATURDAY'S "FIGHTING : v INCIDENT." : DEVELOPMENTS POSSIBLE. . Police attention has : been directed to an'. occurrence which took place during the' Rugby'match, Poneke v.Athletio, at i, Athletic Park on Saturday, whereby one nf the Ponoke players, Calcinai, sustained somewhat severe injury. It/is underetood that tho advisability, or otherwise of bringing; the mutter,before the magistrate is under consideration,-.and'that the police may move in.the matter even although no information is , otherwise laid. Uis not too much to say that tke occurrence has 'been a.frequent and . somewhat: warm topic of discussion in the city since, Saturday, since, independ- .. ently 'of. this case,: the ■ progress o£ the .match. has .disclosed other features far from, pleasant. In view of possible developments these need not . be, . entered Into at present. .' ■■■ ' ■■-.■-. ";' '..'At; the'ißeferees' Association, '■-.At the/meeting, of -the Wellington Ro- . ferees' Association', lust., evening, passing mention was made of the matter. A mem-ber-asking it' the association-could take any. action in the .'matter gave.Mr. Fordyce -. (the referee) •." an. opportunity of stating that he felt his position in this mattervery.keenly." It was hard lines on the referee that a thing : like. this should bb dono btnind his back. . - • Replying to the question,,the chairman (Mr. D. MTlenzie) said that, the association could fake no action in reference to . the incident, because it had not, been seen by tho referen. .Another body had power to.take the matter in hand,' and iio doubt would do so. Any m'embor of tho . association .could give'evidence, but the association'itself. could take action only upon'receiving a report from its own •:' referee. ■;. ■:• ; ■' - .•■.•■.. ••,-'.■ V A-Spectator's. Opinion.. /Tair Play" writes As an eye-, .witness; to the incident just previous to the: Poneke player Calcinai having to leave the field, I should like to voice my opinion on the matter. I have attended football matches. in. many parts of New Zealand, and I say without fear of.coii- . tradiction that a,more disgraceful act I : have-never seen. .What occurred, Mr. •Editor, was .this. Tho whistle had. just, , gone , , i'arid the "Poneke 'playi'T was'a few' yards, away from:- tho rest of the other .players with'his hand ; on/one of his opponent's shoulders. An- opposing player rushed up and struck Calcinai a heavy blow full in the face, through which the latter, I understand, had to leave the Held. The man who struck-hini at the time had not the slightest provocation, and should" have ■ been ordered to leave the field immediately. From the ■. commencement, ihe referee had hot the control over the game that he should have had.' People in 'the stand along with myself could hardly control themselves . and were astounded . that., Calcinai'e assailant was not at once.ordered to leave the field, as the blowcouldbe heard for fully three-parts over,the ground. As the incident was allowed to go unnoticed by ; the referee,- does'the matter end here? ..-' Let the local Rugby Union do their duty, and follow the good example of the Otago Union, and show players what they have the power to do. There, is too , much rough play, goes, on in local football, and ,thp sooner it-is stamped out the better. ■I. trust other', people who witnessed the incident will also voice their opinions on ; this matter, and compel the union to hold ■-. an inquiry." ■■■': '■..:■.