A WEEK IN CAMP.

Shannon News, 22 July 1927, Page 4

A WEEK IN CAMP.

N.Z. RUGBY UNION CHAIRMAN ASSAILED..

There is a strong ease for putting country’Rugby teams into camp for a week’s training before big games-, S. S. Dean, chairman of _ the iNew Zealand Rugby Union, discovered that when lie .mentioned the subject at : the dinner at Masterton to Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa teams after Saturday’s big game. . ; Mr. Dean was present at the dinner and during the response to the- toast of the parent- body remarked tliat ; he wished to say something concerning the practice. Voices: Who started the game anyway? . ‘

Other Voices: The New Zealand Union did, in 1904. (Cheers). ■' More Voices: Who paid as a day to go into camp? The New Zealand'Union did!

Mr Dean, in the meantime had been trying to speak, . but the opposition, quelled him till he managed to declare that football was only a game, and putting, teams into camp ivas niaking it too much of a business. He admitted that the New Zealand Union initiated the practice in the past, but there was no reason'why mistakes should be repeated now. Right in the enemy camp, among two unions that- had just had their teams in camp for a week, Mr Dean was-ob-viously playing a lone hand in championing the opinions of the New Zealand Union, for the popular- sympathy of the gathering was against him,' : 'and there were loud cheers when Mr G. A. Maddison, Mayor of . Hastings, in accepting" the shield, ‘ remarked that he wished to have .something.,.to say in reply to Mr Dean. " ’ 1 Voices: Go for it; let him have it.

Mr Maddison said that- the country players - had not the facilities for ’ gohig to gymnasiums at night to train, like, the -city players. ■ ' . t “A Voice: Too right, there are no “tuppenny” tram fares in the country. • Continuing, Mr Maddison said that it was the duty and privilege of every football team to step on to the field as fit as it possibly could, : and it was absolutely necessary if they- were to hold theiV own, for the country - teams to go into camp. (Cheers and’“hear, hear”). f ;> Mr N, A. McKenzie when proposing the toast of the Wairarapa Union also tgok .up the cudgels. “Mr Maddison, ’ ’ lie said; ‘-‘lias stolen a lot of my thunder, as I was going to have something to. say in reply*, to Mr Stanley Septimus Dean.” He; repeated that it was necessary 'foil ‘the country teams to go into training. Mi-'id. McKenzie, of the-Wnirfimpa Union, and chairman of the New Zealand selectors, also took up the attack. It was absolutely necessa'ry for the country players to go-into camp if they were to retain their place in the football world. If they did not, the country unions -would be beaten by the cities, and there would be more ■’ talk about grading unions ilito first and second class. The.-New Zealand Union had put its All Black teams into-camp in 1904, 1921, and 1923, and if the country unions were breaking the law they were only following the bad example of the parent body.