IS RUGBY REALLY MENACED?

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1073, 11 March 1911, Page 4

IS RUGBY REALLY MENACED?

MR. GALBRAITH THINKS NOT. That tho rise of professionalism eon* stitutes a menace to amateur football ia Australasia is a belief fairly prevalent among athletes in this country. Tho belief is based on a feeling that Some modification in tho Rugby game is! bound to bo adopted bol'oro ( long. Officials arc, of course, concerned absut this, as speeches from time to t'.mo show. Usually, however, these speeches affect to look at the bright side of things. In a brief address, delivered at tho annual mooting of the Wellington Football Club last evening, Mr. N. Galbraith. (treasurer of tho New Zealand Rugby Union) took tho familiar optimistio strain regarding tho amateur game. "It is amateur football that wo want.? ho said. "Wo have heard a lot of talk lately about tho professional game, hut I am convinced that it will never prosper in New Zealand. In my own experience ris an oflieer of tho New Zealand ltugby Union, we havo received applications (sometimes repeated two or three times) from membe'rs who—on tho impulse of tho moment, and attracted by inducements held 6ut—went ovor to the professional game, and hayo regretted it over since. I feel quito certain that, if an . opportunity Were given them to como back—thoro is no opportunity, for the acts tlioy liafo committed prohibit them from coming hack—fully sovonty-fivo per cent, of them would bo only too ready to do so. In conversation with Mr. Rand, who has been secretary of the New South Wales Rugby Union for many years,' I gathered that tho same position oxiuti in Nov; South Wales. Mr. Rand believes that, if tlieso hoys had been given an opportunity, after their first professional season, to como back, a very largo percentage would havo been glad to come. At the same time he states that, sinco this professional movement has been coming on, tho gamo lias found and is finding increasing favour in tho eyes of men leaving the public schools. Theso are men of tho class that _wo want—men imbued with tho right spirit of nmatenrisni. Tho temporary glamour of professionalism Vrns bound Ui attract a number of moil, hut Mr. Ralul favours tho opinion that it is only a matter of tinio when the New South Wales amateur game will ho as prosperous as it ever was. There is no need to urgo members of the Wellington Football Club to continue tho amateur game," concluded Mr. Galbraith. "Every man who joins the club does so to nlay as an ariiateur, and assist in building up tho higher traditions of Rugby fastball. Our players are men who play tho game far tho game's sake, ami for tho cause of. amateur football in New Zealand."-