Athletics and football . uble, besides ex-citing partisanship to a high degree. But of this we shall havemore to say anon, when we come to discuss the Associationgame. It is something more than this, however, which makesthe Rugby Union so strongly discourage cup ties. It isstrongly felt that the Rugby Union game, with its collaring andthrowing to the- ground, its scrummaging and its collisions, isnaturally so rough that not the least occasion should be givenfor allowing warm partisanship to lead to ill-temper, and ill-temper to brutality. Experience has conclusively shown that,whatever be the
Athletics and football . uble, besides ex-citing partisanship to a high degree. But of this we shall havemore to say anon, when we come to discuss the Associationgame. It is something more than this, however, which makesthe Rugby Union so strongly discourage cup ties. It isstrongly felt that the Rugby Union game, with its collaring andthrowing to the- ground, its scrummaging and its collisions, isnaturally so rough that not the least occasion should be givenfor allowing warm partisanship to lead to ill-temper, and ill-temper to brutality. Experience has conclusively shown that,whatever be the class of the players, Rugby cup ties give A A 354 FOOTBALL an opening for ill-feeling and the exhibition of unnecessaryroughness. The present writer has seen various Rugby Union• cup ties, and never left such a match without feeling stronglythat they are an abomination. The hospitals have their annualRugby cup tie in London, and that the roughness is greaterthan that of any other match in which hospital fifteens engage. Partisanship. seems apparent. As long ago as 1876, the Oxford Rugby Uniondecided to have a College championship, and the competitionwas abandoned after two years trial on account of the roughnessof the game. The writer still has a vivid recollection of playingin the final tie in 1877, and can well recollect what a batteredappearance was presented by his side when they met to celebrate THE RUGBY UNION GAME 355 the occasion in the evening. There seems to be little doubtthat in the excitement of a cup tie the old Adam in the breastof the footballer will have its way, and probably nothing but ateam of Neoplatonists could play a Rugby Union cup tie with-out roughness. The Committee of the Yorkshire Union can hardly beignorant of the way in which cup-tie play is liable to de-generation. Their book of rules is significant evidence uponthe point : * 15. In case of wilful breach of the rules of the game or anyfoul play, the referee may caution the offending player, or
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