ENGLISHMEN AND COLONIAL SPORT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 39, 10 November 1919, Page 6

ENGLISHMEN AND COLONIAL SPORT

-— : 9 THE "RUGBY PROBLEM. '' It is diff.oult to pick up an English newspaper thesd days without running an eve over somo expression of opinion jarrlne to 'Australian sportsmen, and baseless at that, says the Sydney "Referee." Underlying these things is tlie assumption that nil (hat emanates from tho Motherland in sport is the right and onlv thine. In some of the sporting, papers there- is never a suggestion that an effort has been made to see into tho minds of 'Australian or New Zealand snqrtsmen. Conclusions are jumped at and—ridiculous assertion* made. These, ironld not matter greatly sinco those who control SDort in its many ramifications in the Motherland'nnd tho Austral countries are. for tho greater part, men who recognise the prowess and the sportsmanship of one another, though' they may not see eve to eyo in many things, owing , to a different outlook, the outgrowth of environment and climate. This leads as to the fact tfcnt in n recent issue tho "Athletic News" went bevond reasonable criticism iy discussing a recent meetin? of the Nen" Zealand Rugby .Union at which some changes in the laws of its game were pionospd. Among other things tho Manchester paper said:—"The position can be reviewed thus: The New Zealanders—or a majority of tlie-io delegates to tlie union— desire to provide an entertainment which will make money; in this country tho demand is for tho maintenance of a recreation for players. Tho snrctntors nnd the toll are secondary considerations. Our brethren and cousins at the Antipodes cannot realise, this essential difference." The brethren in tho Antipodes realise the difference just as acutely as anyone, in England. By hanging on to the skirts of tho Old Land' in football, the Tiughy Union forces in the Antipodes have made the task of the Novihern Unionists mucili easier than it tvouM have licen had they fought hard and skilfully to preserve their game as one for Ihe nation and tilw people, as differentiated from a, restricted class. The war showed men what Ihe backbone of tho nation was and is. If New Zealand keeps (he control of the game in amateur hands and the control of liho clubs and grounds in the same liands she lias Hotliin.7 to fear from ?rofessionalism, even of the Rugby ;eague brand. In Sydney practically everyone .realises that the T.ea.:'ne is tl>n finer Rugby game, no matter "how faddists might try to delude themselves tihnl it isn't. ■ Footballers across the Tnsnian owe nothing to England, or Treland, or Kcoliland. They are under no obligation whatever to the Eii.Tli'li Rugby Union, whose attitude toward New Zealand Rugfrer has bee.n quite wanting in s-vmpathy. This is shown in more wp.vs than njie, jiot forgetting the passing over of New Zealand ■when the invitiitioii to Hie second Springbok- team to visit Entrlnnd was dispatched a few years ago. Thnt was an insult. The All Bbeks .redeeme;l English Kn»bv, and for this t'h?v have been criticised most recklessly. Twelve long years nnd t.'ic \vork in the war have not softened ?ome of the critics. Kven David Gallagher, a New /.ealand poldier in n British wtir 'vfor.e he becam" an All Black, had to full on a battlefield in France before snino men could write a good word of him. And Gallagher, cantain of the All Black*, ra a man in eyiery sense of. the word.

A meeting of ilio newly-formed Wireless Institute will bo hold to-morrow evening, at 7.30, at U Jfnunei's 'Street. All who are interested in the study ot wireless are invited to bo present..