The Archive · 1937

British Union President's Strong Attack

GATE GREED MAY SPOIL SPIRIT OF GAME

London, June 26.

Major-General B. A. Hill c. D.s.0,, who was elected president of the Rugby Union on Friday's annual meeting in London, made a strong attack upon the employment of questionable tactics on the field of play.

There was evidence in many games last season. he said, that players were "Paying too much attention to the letter of the law, and too little to the spirit" There were too many questionable tricks. He gave as an instance the action of one player last season.

"The player," he said "when taking a penalty kick, signalled to the touch judges that he was going to take a kick at goal. The touch judges accordingly went behind the goal, but ihe player took a short punt ahead and followed it up. That is against the spirit of the game and is punishable under Law 34.

"What is the reason for this unfair play?" asked the president. "The expenses of clubs are now becoming more and more large. and there is a danger that the taking of good gates will become the dominating aim. If u have that there is the greater er of the encouragement of the po of player who has no conscience one who will do anything so as the referee will allow him to "Referees" he said, "have been blamed for this state of affair Intern-tio indeed, had actually statement about it. people had misinterpreted the meaning of that statement. The Board did not 6nd fault with the re-forees in charge of matches this year, Or even last year. They mean that referees in general were not doing their duty and sending off players when they infringed the law 34

Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.

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