Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

14 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

I I THE POACHER. 1

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

I I THE POACHER. 1 o I How He Works. I Advice to Yonng Players I — I was chatting with a staunch old I rugbyite the other day—one of the faith- ful who delights in has constancy to the game because of its wealth of traditions. The type is lovable. The days oi '05 HTHI '06 are glorious memories—days of the Perfect Rugby, and yet whilst he looks, at the future with a cheery eye, and readily resists the blamiisiiu^nto of tho Soccer convert- to "come and see the Swans," h., sighs for the erstwhile stan- dard which'will never more be attained. He deplores the activity of the Northern Union poacher and regards it as the I greatest menace to the future oi Rugby in Wales. Apparently peaching had i.ot become a fine art in the good old days he is perpetually talking about. Still when he touched iipon tno subject I could not help thinking that he was light, and that i- was enu^-iy "JUe eo i-h.j Northern Union that the handling code is now experiencing its worst days. Hut the more one ponders upon the subject, the more one is convinced of the futility of trying to prevent it, for there is "nl,. one way and that is the method which h,c1. too often been stigmatised (and rightly so) as the canker at the heart of the game in Wales. It seems a pathetic proposition that the increasing brilliance of a combination oT players can only niclan the eventual coup that the professional teams in the North of England are bound to attain. Certain 111 is that whenever a clever Rugby amateur emerges, his progress is care-1 fully noted bv the emissaries (dread- fully stereotyped word) from the North, and as soon as ne is at the zenith of his prowess ho is bagged—and Cymru is poorer once more by a good exponent cf the game. n Last season several young We,lsh 1 players ,sprang into the limelight, amongst them one or two Swansea boys. They represented what the code nee-cisd badly to recover a good deal of its de- clining popuarbty, new. young blood Now we are getting the aftermath in the shape of another invasion of em is- saries" intent upon securing our new blood to infuse into the jadod veins of the game up North. They have elabo- rate methods. There is none of the (mil- at-a-gate stvie about their business; no straight offer and definite proposals. Rather they adjust the manner of approaeh to the character and worldly position of the catch to be made. In the case of the average footballer they know the effectiveness of a nice sounding sum down, and the allurement of a 11 coi-nfort,ble job" guaranteed. Flat refusals do not worry them in the least, and their persistence on the contrary is usually increased. The amount 'Fered iisua'i l y irei-eise d e is extended and the terms artfully Te- vised and little "perks" subtly hinted at here and there. The result is too often acquiescence on the part of the man pursued—and he flits, to the dismay of the team's followers and ti.e annoyance of Rugby supporters in general. In preparing their bait the poachers carefully refrain from mentioning the other side of the picture. The hunted as a rule knows nothing of the compul- sory training and the penalties for in- ferior play—and a man cannot always shine yon know They take care that the contract to be signed never gives the player much rope to govern his future movements once he has taken the (ash and appended his signature. Naturally the man sought after does his best tu look ahead and dwell on the possibilities of permanent injury on the field, for they are a trifle vigorous up there," but as a rule his outlook is too obscured by the roseate prospects painted by his interviewers, to thoroughly weigh the situation. He generally concludes by professionalising himself, ho benefits 'financially and physically, but gives no heed to the fact that playing to order isn't all butter, and adaption to a different style might mean loss of form and subsequent dispensation with his services. However, there it is, ;:nd superficial consideration of the venture to be taken, too often occurs with a prom ising: youngster. I know several who have regretted their recklessness in closing with tempt- ing offers and who have sighed for the unfettered days spent as an amateur. I have been told by others whose, repug- nance for ths game has been so pro- nounced after the awakening to what professional footbaH is, that they have abhorred the sight of a Northern Union game for ever. Here in Swansea we suffer, I 2m afr-id from the existence of the "scout." the cy-footbailer to whom he is a remunerative thing to spot rossibl e "stars" and ..communicate with Northern Union teams. The "scout'' doesn't worry ahout the pros and cons of the ease at all. It simply means to hi III that he is in pocket if a Ulan he has spotted or recommended goes North. Let us hope, now that we have the prospect of a good season before us, that our coming voungsters will give nnv advances made to them bv "emissaries" long and proper consideration, or else stil1 better, give them the cold eye, and stick to Rugby for the good old game itself.

CRICKET ARTICLE. I

TO-DAY S CRICKETI

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TO-DAY'S RACING. I -_:-I

COMMERCE of the DAY I

Family Notices

INTERNATIONAL POWLS.

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RUGBY PROSPECTS.I --0———

- - - - EFFRONTERY. ——-—.——-

AT THE DOCKS..--II

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