“ ROUGH PLAY.”

Hokitika Guardian, 29 December 1925, Page 3

“ ROUGH PLAY.”

ALL BLACK’S INFL I'KXC'E. LONDON, Nov. 21. In an article in the •‘Manchester Guardian,’’ the writer remarks: '‘Courtesy to visiors prevented straight speaking about the methods of play adopted l>v the ‘All Blacks’ in their tour of last year.” Not unnaturally, this statement has called forth a rebuke. Mr A. J. Harrop, of Christchurch, who is at present doing post-graduate work at Cambridge, voices the opinion of many others when ho writes: “I do not know what ibo Lancashire definition of courtesy is, but I know that ill New Zealand we have a very different adjective from •courteous’ to describe people who sav smooth things to visitors to their faces and nasty things behind their backs. I make no extravagant claims for the All Blacks. I merely affirm that they were as good sportsmen ns the men in any ot the teams they mot. not excluding Oxford. Cambridge, or even Lancashire. ’I lie suggestion that English players have suddenly become •ferocious’ through their influence is merely foolish.” The “Manchester Guardian" returns to the subject in a leading article:— “This habit of courtesy to visitors.” says the writer, “is widely practised among civilised peoples and lias Irom time to time lioen practised in Australia and Now Zealand visiting English cricket tennis. A\ o all know the person who says "I say wluit 1 think, whatever the consequences’ ; he is often a private inconvenience and a public nuisance. It is arguable that in the ultimate interests ol the game, when it was seen that- rough play and bad temper were developing somewhat ominously in the New Zealand matches —whoever was to blame, and much might, no doubt, be said on both sides about that—the authorities should have taken a firm stand and issued strict instructions to referees. But that is really being wise after the event. . “What we all want to do at the time, whether we are here or in Australia or New Zealand, is to have as little friction and controversy as possible and if we are to lie candid about it, to make believe that everything is just- a little bit more rosy than it is. But that is not to say that when ve come to a stocktaking afterwards we shall not recognise that rough play received a distinct fillip during the New Zealand tour, because most people who followed the games closely last season. lielieve that it did. No one side, of course, was wholly to blame, .hero is alwavs a lot of lawless material latent in Rugby Football, and the average club keeps it down by sheer decency and self-respect. Rut when there is a tendency to temper and lawlessness in pi a vers on both sides in a long succession of matches, things go to the had. and that is why. m the season after the New Zealand tour, there is some putting of the foot down badly needed in this country, ami being done.”