HOROWHENUA RUGBY.

Shannon News, 6 July 1928, Page 2

HOROWHENUA RUGBY.

STANDARD OF PLAY BELOW PAR.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR CLUB FOOTBALL?

How many have asked this question (writes our football contributor) as, Saturday after Saturday, they are called upon to witness drab and uninteresting displays of what is supposed to he Rugby by our senior teams this season?

It is .mrrxaggeratioii to say that not once since the commencement of the present season has there been a game worthy of being ranked as senior grade football, and generally speaking, Rugby in this district, ait present seems to be “in the doldrums.” The players themselves appear to have lapsed into a state of lethargy and apparently lack the initiative to aspire to any meat as the season drags slowly onwards.

When, at the beginning of our present season it became known that the number of senior teams competing would be reduced to five, followers of the code expected an improvement in the standard of play to that exhibited last year. This anticipation to a very great extent was justified. One would think, as a natural sequence of the concentration of the better players absorbed in a lesser number of teams and the weeding out of who last year were not up to senior status, that the general standard of play would feceive a marked impetus for the better.

But, alas! what bitter disillusionment! ' Here we are with the end of the competition in sight and that improvement has failed to materialise. What is the chief cause of this state of affairs? Is the material not available or is it just a temporary. lapse? Several have proffered the opinion, that the 'seat of the trouble lies in the fact of Jacob’s retirement at the end of last season. In the writer’s* opinion this seems altogether too much to believe, for, worthy play'er that Jacob was, it is hardly conceivable that the retirement from activity pn the football field of one player, no matter how great a general , he has been, can be held 'solely responsible for the drastic slump that lias become manifest this season. Of course., the retirement of this player has no’doubt made its presence felt to a certain extent, but we must not bury our heads behind this fact and let matters drift blindly along, for it is quite obvious that there are other faults to be found and these should speedily be rectified. Watching the play closely this season it has become apparent that several of the clubs are not being coached along the right lines, or, if they are, the players have either, badly failed to appreciate what they are being taught, or simply have not the initiative to put into practice the knowledge handed on to them by the coaches. Then again, to keen judges, it is a common fault to see players playing in positions entirely unsuitable to them. This is often the chief reason for lack of co-ordination on the field for nothing will upset combination quicker. It only needs one player to be a misfit to upset all calculations. Ingenious land enterprising leadership on the field lias also been missing this season and this has been responsible for much disorganised play and numerous misunderstandings. However, whatever the cause of our poor club football, it is to be sincerely hoped that players and officials, in the name of self-preservation and as a duty to the public who support the game, will set out to improve matters. Otherwise they might just as well “shut up shop” with the sign: No Money, Business Closed.