CAUSE AND EFFECT

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 13, 22 September 1939, Page 51

CAUSE AND EFFECT

To-day and Yesterday EW ZEALAND has two worries at N present. As Athletic Park is easier to reach than Warsaw, let’s concentrate on one at'a time and think for the moment only of Rugby, and All Black trials. Of the 70 players nominated to play in Wellington on September 23 and 30 in the North v. South match, and the three trials, it is possible at present to write nothing convincing. The trials, after all, are intended to classify the available talent. It’s only a waste of time trying to do the job before they take place. But there is room, perhaps, for a little philosophic reflection on wars and games, and the progress of Rugby in New Zealand. The Listener has no conclusion to offer, but it may be worth noting that none of the great players of the 1920-26 years had been old enough during 1914-18 to be _ seriously affected by the war; but that the present generation of players, aged, let us presume, between 20-28 years, is made up almost entirely of "war babies." These trials may prove the pessimists wrong, but that is one point they can make in their general condemnation of the standards of Rugby to-day. It was made, very moderately, by G. T. Alley last week. There is another, advanced last week in this office by a well-known referee. He said players now worry about the referee far more than they did 18 or 19 years ago. There is " far greater will to win, he thinks, and not enough taking the game as something to be enjoyed. There is always, of course, a tendency to deify the old-timers. Old days always were better days. The process is nowhere better illustrated than in the subject matter of 90 per cent. of the radio talks on Rugby given in the last few months, But facts speak as well as reputations, and it has seemed to be a fact that Rugby has not been played in recent years. with the brilliant abandon of the 1920's.