FOOTBALL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3121, 23 February 1909, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

Anent Scotland's action in making to the English Rugiby Union as to the status of its players and that of touring teams, a special cablegram from London in the "Cape Times" says:—-A oerious split in the Rugby world is threatened, which seems likely to lead to far more important developments than when the dispute arose between the various nationalities in the 'eighties. Consternation has been caused in England by the intimation •that the Scottish Rugby Football Union —which declined to allow any of its players to take part in the •recent tour in Net? Zealand, and Which also refused to grant fixtures to the Australian Rugby team whose tour has just been completed—has refused to play further international fixtures with England. As a matter of fact, the Scottish Union has gone ao far as to intimate that it has no intention of fulfilling the match ver•aus England, which was to open the new ground of the English R.F.U., ..at Twickenham, on March 20th, The reason given for this drastic action is that the English R.U. has lent itself to professionalism, in that it countenanced the payment to visiting players, during the tour of the JNew Zealand team in 1905, and the Australian team in 1908, of one guinea p<er week per man, in addition to bona-fiqe expenses. They contend that this constitutes a diiect act of '.professionalism. The Scottish Union further volunteers the statement that the South African team was played in the season of 1905—1906, I and fixtures granted in Scotland, but • they were well satisfied as to the bona fides of the expenses, and knew that the South Africans did receive one penny piece in cash, having to meet expenses out of their own pockets. The Scottish -R.F.U. does not intend to interfere " with the relations of Scottish and English clubs, but has merely suspended the international fixtures in order to emphasis? its views on this important point, which, it is mentioned, is directly contrary to the laws of professionalism. They will ■ also not prevent Scotsmen who may reside m England from playing for English clubs. The intimation has come as a bomb shell, and has created consternation in the Rugby world. Scotland's action has been keenly resented, as it is felt that before such drastic action was taken the whole question should have been ' debated. It is also pointed out that this is the third occasion upon which the harmonious working of the Internationa] Rugby Championship has been disturbed by the somewhat dictatorial attitude taken up. Mr Marriott, the secretary of the English Rugby Union, expresses the hope that even now matters may be amicably arranged, arid the frxtures played as scheduled. Those in touch with Scottish football, however, are very doubtful on this point, and the possessors have taken this stand on principle, and on the rules of the game. - • j