RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1728, 19 April 1913, Page 12

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

$ [By Amstobulvs.] THE TESTS WITH AUSTRALIA. Senior Cup Matches To-day. Tho senior cup matches are to commence to-day, and until tho form of the players new- and old, has been observed, tittle ir tho way of comment can be made. Interest will, of courso, centre in tin Poneke-Oriental game, to bo played or Athletic Park. It is anticipated that the teams will be fairly equally balanced, and a good game should result, if the necessary amount of training has teen put i'l to ensure that end. It may be that tho battleship festivities hnve prevented players "leathering their lungs," in which case the second spells may "tell the old sad tale. Away With Half-trained, Teams! Just as sure as the night follows the day, ltugbyites will have to pay d stricter attention to training if they wish to retain the confidence of the "gate," more particularly now that the fast League game is sending out those littlo shcots. Much indicate growth. Tho Wellington Rugby Union's last report makes rather woeful reading, but I am ;aot so sure that tho players themselves aro not responsible for the falling away in gate receipts. Football is a show game, and the ground is the hippodrome. If tho public is convinced that the show is a good one, they will turn up in their thousands, but if the weekly reports chronicle dull, uninteresting games, wlrch sometimes is only. half the truth-the gate must be ali'octed. Dull games are usually attributable to poorly-trained teams. It they train well under the right kind of supervision, a game can hardly be dull and uninteresting. If both teams are trained to the minute'' there is no prettier athletic sight ill tho world. Efficient ?"d- persistent training would assist the gate' just as much as persistent rehearsal, will improve any old show. $o train! Mention was only made of the OrientalPonejce game which will occupy the most ■popular pitch to-day. Last year's champions (Athletic) are to battle against Wellington at Miramar; Ponek-a will play on its.native heath against Victoria College, aid Melrose will meet St. James on Athletic Park.

New Zealand Union's Annual Report, The annual report of tho New Zealand Rugby Union (published in this issue) is an interesting document. Perhaps the item that will command the greatest attention is the details of tho Australian Kughy team's tour, which commences at Auckland ou August 27. Comment is bound to be made on the fact that the Australians are not to meet tho provincial representatives of Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago. This, it is understood, cannot very well be helped. The agreement—this is an age of . agreements—is that the visitors are to play nine matches only on the tour, and that of those nine,. three are to bo test matches. This only leaves six matches to be played against Provincial Union's representatives, and these have been allocated to Auckland, 'i'aranaki, Wanganui, Southland, South Canterbury, and Marlborough. And Why is This Thus? : . With, all duo respect to .Marlborough, I think that a match against Wellington Province would have been a much more sporting event than any game our friends acros3.fhe strait are .likely to put up. It would provide a better gate, a bettor game, and would minimise the travelling expenses as far as the visitors were concerned,.:jt' Marlborough were cut out. This is not suggested in any spirit, of jealousy or antagonism to the good sports of Blenheim town, but the game Is scheduled for the end of tho tour, when tho visitors are likely to', be tired to death of knocking about, and the few days' rest in Wellington More the final New Zealand match and their departure for Sydney would, I am sure, bo appreciated. The Wellington: Union is a very big and important one (and, moreover, its finances are low), and really deserves a game against the visitors. The three tests are to bo played in Wellington, Dunedin, and Ch.ristch.uvch, in that order. Instead of the tour finishing lamely at. Blenheim, a final against Wellington (or Wellington and Marlborough combined) at the Athletic Park would indicate sounder business management.