RUGBY NOTES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 613, 18 August 1933, Page 6

RUGBY NOTES

r "Free Kick")

the game lgcally STANDARD IN SENIOR GAME LEAVES LOT TO BE DESIRED JUNIORS MUCH BETTER

(Notes bs

Although it is recognised that the standard of play in Rotorua senior Rugby has not been of the brightest for many years, last S'aturday's senior representative game reached a new low water mark. If the standard of football is to be improved, the time is opportune to make some candid remarks concerning the control and the players. It is evident that the Rotorua union has at last realised that there are few players in the senior section who have reached a satisfactory degree of effieiency, for the president, at the meeting of the management eommittee on Monday night, strongly -eondemned the players for their wretched display and threw another bombshell when he recommended that the selected players who failed to put in an appearance last Saturday, be stood down from further selection for the season. This apathy towards training seems prevalent everywhere ; there is no doubt that it starts in the club football for it is incontestable that the senior games seen here this season are not the kind that could be described with superlative adjectives. How many club coaches — that is if the clubs possess such offieials — see that players, espeeially the. seniors, get together for two or three nights each week for combined training and practice for-the Saturday's game? I think I would be safe in saying that they would be hard to find. This is the reason why we see, halfway through the season, teams at the last minute scratching for players and resurrecting any Tom, Dick or Harry from the sideline irrespective of whether he has had on a pair of footer boots for the season. It is the coach's duty to see that there is a fuli muster and that the team takes the field on time., with each player in the best of physical condition; this is the best insurance against injury that a player can have. The public pay to see football and it is the responsibility of those in control to see that they get it. A player should remember that when he dons the colours of a club he elects to play Rugby football and should see that he plays it according to the rules of Rugby and the rules of his club and the governing body. Another phase of the game that is glaringly noticeable from the sideline is the illegal tactics that are too frequently adopted by the players, many of whom have developed this phase of play to a fine art. Offside play is one of the main hold-ups in football, and those who have a reputation as good players are continually seen deliberately waiting offside in the hopes that the referee will be. unobservant or lenient, though in some cases the offender is so unfit that he has not the wind to get back on side. Obstruction aiad shepherding are two more undesirable tactics that should be drastically wiped _ out by the referee. From the sideline. it is sUrprising to observe the number of tirnes that players are tackled long after they have got rid of the ball and that the referee is often slow in blowing the whistle when there is a "sacks on the mill," although in the majority of cases, the ball has no chance of coming into play. And last, but not least, there seems to be a new rule in Rugby, "play the man and not the ball." . . A lack of discipline and team spirit seems prevalent throughout the various Rugby centres, causing a general deterioration in the standard of football and unless players stop undesirable tactics, and adhere to constitutional rules, there will be a great falling off in the public support for the game. The decision of the union an forfeiting their Peace Cup elimination match is a sound one. Besides a saving of considerable expense the move has created a precedent that will have bearing upon the selection of the representatives and the programme of fixtures next season. It must be readily seen that unless the selectors can guarantee that they can table a team that will lineout perfectly fit, it is useless entertaining representative matches. It is pleasing to see that the management committee has decided to play a second round for the junior club premiership. Only four teams will be eligible to compete and this will make it possible to finish the round before the junior representatives play for the Boyce Cup on September 26. One round in a club competition is not satisfactory and although the union is pushed for time the clubs cannot be blamed for the many interruptions to the competition. The decisive win registered by the Rotorua team in the final of the. Waikato junior championship shows that 1 the standard of junior football here ranks as high as in the other centres. The members of the team are to he J congratulated on their meritorious performance which is undoubetedly the result of an intensive training preparation and coaching given by the junior selector, Mr. J. Windeler. The horne forwards deserve special mention for the way they held the ivisiting pack, and for the great battle they played in the loose against a side which relied mostly on their van to win out on the day. All the Rotorua backs on their showing earned their right of selection though Berghan and Pipson were the shining lights^ in breaking through the defence, while J. Martin, as last line of defence, gave a flaw- | less exhibition and was responsible for solid tackling.