LETTERS TO EDITOR

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 209, 20 September 1937, Page 6

LETTERS TO EDITOR

Rugby Tactics v Sir, — Your correspondent "Fair Play ' ' has a thought in season, indeed, but let tis hope it will be but .a dead seedling from a most obnoxious weed. Does he really believe that retaliation ' is warranted? Are we to pass on to the children of this land a tradition of paying back in the same coin? What sort of a game are we to witness in the future, if retaliation continues to be a feature of Eugby? Of course, it is true that rough play has become increasingly cooimon throughout the country. "Incidents" are all to frequent, and as one who has been a keen follower of the game for over twenty years I am "not alone with my thoughts" on the subject. The school games enjoy all the.fun of clean sport. The big college matches are played in the right spirit. The trouble comes, usually, where the crowds gather, and the "bankside" calls are loudly claiming their pounds of flesh. Or when teams for championship lead are. too close together to be comfortable. Or when referees — but we won't start an argument. Further, your correspondent caore than insinuates that a player is not a sport if he plays according to.the rules or in the spirit of sportsmanship. That is, if foul play is shown by an opposing player, a team-mate must "get one back." Fortunatt-ly, very f ew would agree with such a thought, but those who play the game with that idea in , mind want weeding Out forthright. Two wrongs never make a right, and on the football ground the referee is, after all, master of ceremonies. Retaliation doubles the ofpence, and inereases the dilficulty of keeping the game clean. '.The only solution to foul play'is to ignore it as a true sportsaian would, and to treat it with the scorn it deserves. An offensive player soon becomes conscious of his too cohspicuous attitude, b'ut retaliation. tends to hide the offence. "Fair Play" should revalue his ideas on fair play, if he wants to see the game played for the game's sake. What matter s who wins, as long .as it was a good clean game to play or watch. — Yours, etc., "CLEAN PLAY." Hastings, Sept. 20/37.