THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER
1937
N. Z. RUGBY STANDARDS WILL REVIVE
OLD INTERNATIONAL OR REVISED LAWS?
TAKING DEFEAT TOO
SERIOUSLY
THE SPRINGBOKS TOUR
(By "THE CYNIC”)
Sydney, October 28.
THE defeat of New Zealand by South Africa in the Rugby Union rubber seems to have sad dened too many, in New Zealand, if opinions in some of the letters I have had from across the Tas- man are not overdrawn.
THE SUPERIORITY OF THE SOUTH AFRICANS IS FREE- LY ACKNOWLEDGED. MANY NEWSPAPER WRITERS SEEM TO HOLD THE OPINION THAT THE AFRICANS ARE THE FIN- EST TEAM THEY HAVE EVER SEEN. IF THAT IS SO WHY GRIEVE BECAUSE SUCH A TEAM DEFEATED THE FLOWER OF THE HOME COUNTRY?
The truth is that New Zealand Rugby has gone back in stand-
since the national system of ard has been going back ever playing the game was changed, by the abolition of the 2-3-2 scrum-
mage and the wing forward.
was no mere
mar- nacle.
Any man who saw the vellous 1903 team under Jimmy Discussing New Zealand Rugby Duncan, and some of its brilliant with Mr. Harold Judd on Saturday, successors in this country, knows he remarked that on what he had that forward play of New Zea-seen over there the standard has land was magnificent in every fallen away. He saw only four for- angle and that the wing forward wards in the same class as the great wolf in sheep's men we knew in the past, and only clothing, as so many have dubb-one back, Mitchell. One of the for- wards he had in mind was not select- ed him.
As I viewed the New Zealanded in the Tests. Harold Judd thinks wing forwards from the time of the Africans must have developed David Gallagher and along the years better form all-round in New Zea
clever, land than they showed in this coun- -to C. G. Porter, he was a
constructive, brainy, and brilliant try.. player.
TOUCH BY PUNTING
Those great New Zealand teams, like outstanding Welsh teams, were wonder men in the use of touch by punting. The older world still cher- ishes this feature in the old game. In New Zealand and Australia it is taboo, largely because so many se cond-rate players kicked out aimless- ly instead of using the line scienti- fically as team-tactics.
*
It is understandable that a scrum- mage with two men in the front row
.
may be beaten for the ball by serum- mager of similar powers with three in the front row. Nevertheless the 1903, 1905, and other All Blacks rose superior to that. The Africans play 3-4-1, and British teams 3-2-3, The laws of the game were altered to make three at least in the front row. Why? As the re-creators of modern Rugby, New Zealand should stand up for the methods by which they made the game so polished and so great, without impairing its superb virility.
AUSTRALIANS' CONCEPTION New Zealanders steeped in Rugby football may take it as certain that in the eyes of Australians the latest African team, strong as it was, in the pack and difficult to defeat, was not so great as some of their own teams seen over here.
New Zealanders now have to find fresh talent of the highest class, and encourage a higher quality of play right through the provincial Unions. If they do this the problems will gradually solve themselves.
These views are similar to those of Mr. Jim Clarken, an early Auck- lander, though an Australian repre- sentative.
SPORTS SHORTS FROM UNDER DOWN
^(By JIM DONALD)
Sydney, October 28. Pall together, boys."--Jockeys slogan.
*
"No dog meeting at Harold Park" -Post-dated check
Bodley Headsprint in print.
"Bookies shout themselves hoarse. Phlegmington
Boxing is the sport of Swings.
These wrestlers are
money.
"Steeplechasers
QUESTION OF-LAWS Whether they will find it best to continue to play locally under relax-creasingly unpopular. ed rules or adhere to the interna- as "Leppers.” tional laws is for themselves to de
rolling
SOMEBODY BLUNDERED
S. AFRICA SNUBBED
(By A. J. BOYD)
Sydney, October 28. Shall we see a South African soccer side in Australia next season? When the English ama- teur Soccer team completed its tour of Australia in May, I wrote to Mr. F. W. Fell, pre- sident of the South African
Football Association, told him what a great success the visit had proved, and suggested that, if a team were despatched from Africa to these shores next season, the game might be benefited greatly in both coun tries.
Here is the reply
Your letter addressed to our president, Mr-Fell, was placed before a meeting of our executive last week.
I was instructed to inform, you that the course of action you sug- gest does not meet with our ap- proval for the following reasons:
Last year we were invited by cable to tour Australia during 1937. That cable was answered in the affirmative, with the proviso that terms should be cabled
are.
Nothing more was heard for a very long time. We were "most anxious to make the trip and still Our players were in readi- ness for trial matches, and you can imagine our disappointment when we read in the English- papers that an amateur side had been selected to tour Australia.
Some time later we received a letter from your secretary stating that a cable he had drawn up bad .never been sent, and intimating that there was a difference of opinion on his council as to whe-". ther a South African tour was ad- visable. but suggesting that an Australian team be invited to tour South Africa în 1938, with a re- torn tour in 1939.
KOWLOON TONG TROUNCE THE FREE LANCES
"B" Division Men's Badminton Tie
J. L. ANDERSON THE BEST ON VIEW
(By “REFEREE”)
Kowloon Tong secured a well deserved victory in the "B" Divi- sion, of the Men's Badminton League, yesterday, when they beat the Free Lances by nine clear sets in a fairly one-sided encounter, the losers being weakened by the absence of Bovaird, who is still away from the Colony.
The home team were in splendid fettle. Mackay and A.Chan being their most consistent pair. Both the latter were in very good form, especially Mackay who shone at the net, while Chan's retrieving of smashes from the back of the court, was also very sound.
} Com-
R. E. Lee and F. S. Ko menced strongly against Anderson and Harris, who played three sets. off in a row. Lee was the more consistent of the two, and offset his partner's weakness at the net in the later stages, by deadly smeshing from the forecourt and fine services.
ANDERSON SHINES
Anderson was the pick of the visiting team, and carried his part- ner, whose positional play must be improved as he often left his side of the court open to attack An- cover his derson was forced to opponent, who fell away in the flatter stages, the former's finely angled drop shots and smashing providing the main feature of the evening's play.
A. W. da Roza and Peter Lo did
Under the circumstances, the dot combine very effectively, the
fore, we feel that we can, do nothing in the matter before we are approached by the Australian football authorities.
There will be no tour of South Africa in 1938, for we co-operate with the Rugby Union and never They stage counter attractions. are having a tour by a British Rugby team.
Yours faithfully,
J. BARBOUR
Hon. Secretary.
LADIES' SINGLES TENNIS TITLE FOR MISS PERRY
Miss Griffiths Defeated
In Three Sets
In an extraordinarily unin- teresting match at the USRC. yesterday afternoon, Miss Rose Perry won the Ladies Singles championship of the Colony at the xpense of Miss Madge Grifiths by the score of 4 6-3,60
latter being very weak overhead, al- though Roza's steadiness, and fine placements down the tramlines, made up for any deficit.
Fisher and Clark found things very much against them and al though they took Lee and Ko to 21- 14, they were playing against fairly tired opponents. Fisher's retrieving jon the backhand was his weak point, outpositioned, while he was often but Clark wasted too many openings by attempting a drop shot instead of a kill
Goldman and Skinner were hope- really
lessly outclassed and never
looked like winning a point.
RE Lee and S. F. Ko (Kowloon
Tong beat J. L. Anderson and A. Har-
bet A L. Fisher, and S. W.
**Clark
beat R Goldman and . L. D.
Skinner
21---10
-14
21-1 A. W da Boza and Peter Lo (Kow- loan
beat Anderson and Harris beat Fisher and Clark
Goldman and Skirmer NAELGMacKay
(Kowloo
21-10
21- 21
and A. Chan
Anderson and Harris isher and Clark best Goldman and Skinner
Although she played as well as ever and placed her drives with London, To-day. Only one Rugby great accuracy, Miss Perry appear Union County Championship game ed to be far from well and on one was held yesterday, Kent beating occasion after being beaten by a Sussef at Bexhill by a goal and a becoming in-brilliant stroke from Miss Grifiths, try (8 points) to nil-Reuter.
-Regarded collapsed completely and had to
rest for a while before resuming. peared disconcerted by the constant Miss Griffiths played very well in interruptions, caused by Miss Per- Golf is just a game of putt in and the first two sets and fully main-ry's apparent indisposition, how- We may be sure that New Zea take out. It's also a fairway to ex-tained the improvement she has ever, and fell away badly in the
shown in recent games: She ap-lfinal set to lose it to love. - land will soon rise to the old pin- ercise.
termine