FOOTBALL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 202, 23 February 1912, Page 2

FOOTBALL

A BLOW TO RUGBY. The Auckland Star suggests that the refusal of the four Rugby Unions to invite a New Zealand fifteen to tour the United Kingdom and. Ireland this year aims a serious blow at the game in the Dominion. From whatever cause, or Combination of causes, it may have arisen, there is no question that the "All Black" team of years back was not popular with the Unions at Home, more particularly those of Scotland and Wales. The Welsh and Scottish players openly said as much towards the. end of the tour, and, although the English were less outspoken, there was no evidence of cordiality. As to the Irish, the visitors came in contact with them but little. Examining the causes of a growing dislike of this team, the i Star concludes that it was based on ] aversion to the inroads that its methods j seemed likely to bring about on the conlervatism that has left Rugby in England j where it stood a generation back. The wing forward was a, rankling thorn in the side of the British teams, and it is; noteworthy that the South Africans, who j have been again asked to tour the Unit-1 ed Kingdom next season, play the eight in the scrum formation, the same as the majority of the teams that they will, meet. The disinclination of the Home Unions to even consider any alteration* ia the governing rules was shown when the New Zealand Rugby Union approach- { ed the parent body with suggested modi- [ fications. Despite the irritation that the comment on "All Black" methods occasioned and the subsequent abruptness of the Union in the matter of rules, those who control the fortunes of Rugby in the Dominion have remained loyal to the Home authority. But, in the opinion of the Star, this final discourtesy leaves no ground for hoping that our Rugby Union can expect any help from the English authorities in. the fight against the growth of the Northers Union.