The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Page 64

mtiyi if Ill I IW England, France both I I nave one a Ithouqh opinions "differ From PfTfR LONG in London -NO, OUi DO SPORT and politics mix? Perhaps, say the English dubiously. Yes, insist the French enthusiastically. A glimpse of Twickenham to see a the home of Rugby Union, now knockout final. I Smghf! THERE HAS been an English Rugby Football Union since 1871 but it has neyer run a club competition. STAFF REPORTER IN LONDON clubs had previously turned down a knockout competition saying they would prefer to play in a league.

They will probably decide not to take part in the new competition at least during the first trial year. The Union president, Sir William Ramsay, is not too perturbed. "We will go ahead with this pilot scheme even if the gate-taking clubs do not join in," he said. The squabbles between the Union and gate-taking clubs revolve around tho latter's belief that a knockout will interfere with their regular club games and hence with their earnings. At least oii Tuesday the differences were forgotten.

Gentlemen amateurs play for the love of the game. That has been the unofficial Rugby Union motto. Playing for cups and shields was something left for those renegade northern miners who field only 13 men a side. But last week, almost on the centenary of its founding, the Rugby Football" Union decided to stage a competition. It will take the form of a knockout cup between 32 clubs chosen from all parts of the country with a final at Twickenham.

"Nobody can now accuse the RFU of being blimps which is the stigma attached to them by the more inexperienced and noisy elements who, out of their very inexperience of the facts of life, are demanding change for their own advantage," was how 'The Times' Rugby writer described it. "The new scheme is a re-. sounding challenge in the name of progress and amateurism." Not everyone is so happy. The 39 major gate-taking Plaque 1 I. 'A 3 sporting editor, Mr J.

L. Manning, who said "people throughout the world want politics and amateur sport to be kept apart." WIND UP He said, "By having the minister chairman of the sports council he can provide sporting facilities to marginal constituencies for partly poUtical'purposes. "Undoubtedly there have been sports facilities established in Britain to further these purposes." England's part-time sports' minister, Eldon Griffiths, tries some exercises. Mr Manning expects the Tory Government to wind up the sports council in its nresent form and ao- point an independent statutory council with executive powers to develop British amateur sport in the way it chooses free from political direction. The new body will be accountable to Parliament as are the Arts Council and the Horse Race Levy Boaijd.

It would submit an annual report to Parliament which would still decide how much money should be provided for the development of sport. Mr Manning said: "My own advice to New South Wales is don't follow what Britain is doing now, but wait until a fundamental change in the system is announced in a few months." POWER If France were to offer NSW advice it probably would go something like this: If you have, a sports minister give him plenty of power and money. France first set up a commission for youth and sports in the days of the Popular Front of 1936 when French workers first got a month's' paid holiday. After World War II sport lang- i .1. i in ii i After eight years Britain's "lame duck" Sports Ministry is struggling to survive.

It may be axed completely by the Heath Government as part of its broad "hands off" policy. In contrast, France's high-powered Ministry for Amateur Youth and Sports is turning the country into a sporting nation. Britain's minister responsible for amateur sport, Mr Eldon Griffiths, is a junior minister in the massive Department of the Environment. It's a part-time job at best. Mr Griffiths also is concerned with keeping Britain's air clean and her railway amenities in working order.

The British Government is not directly involved in organising or promoting sport but it now encourages, guides, and financially helps the development of amateur sport vand sporting facilities. Professional sport is regarded as big business and left to run itself. COUNCIL The Government works through the Sports Council set up by the Wilson Labour Government in 1965. Mr Griffiths is the chairman of the council whose members are appointed in a voluntary capacity usually from amateur sporting bodies. The council's main jobs are' to advise the Government on the allocation and spending of funds and to co-ordinate the development of sporting facilities with local authorities.

Since 1965 nine regional councils in England, one council in Scotland and one in Wales nave been set up to extend throughout the country the facilities planning work of the sports council. Last year the Government gave about $7 million in direct grants to national voluntary sporting organisations, schools, and local clubs to help pay for overseas tours, research, coaching, administration, and facilities. Local authorities, partly financed 'by the central government, spent another $52 million on providing multi-purpose sports facilities, and sports grounds. The general secretary of the British Olympics Association, Mr Sandy Duncan, said this week. "We are delighted there is a minister responsible for sports." The present sports council has never interfered with the governing bodies of voluntary associations." However, the power of the minister to direct how money "should be spent has been severely criticised in Britain, The new Tory Government is believed; to have heeded this criticism and is soon to dissociate the minister responsible for sport from the sports council.

Criticism of the present system was summed up this week-by the In 1958 a High Commission for Youth and Sport was created, and under De Gaulle's impetus became a fall Ministry in 1966. It is today run by Secretary of State Joseph Comiti, who is attached, to the Prime Minister's office. As his duties also include looking after young people and leisure activities a national sport boss was named as Mr Comiti's right-hand man. He is Marceau Crespin, high commissioner for sport. DIRECTORS The ministry has very little to do with professional sports, which are in" France mainly Soccer, boxing, Rugby League.

Each of these are run by the branches of overall federations and get very little in way of cash. Most sports in France have a national director" who is practically a ministerial appointee. The larger the cash amount given, the more control the ministry has over the appointment of this director, well informed sports sources said. During the years 1966 to 1970 the sports ministry spent more than $350 million dollars on projects which also included cultural centres. Since 1961 France has built more than 1 ,000 swimming pools, 5,000 sports helds and 2,500 gymnasiums as the ministry pushes hard to get sport accepted more and more by the French.

The ministry is responsible for giving subsidies to Sports Federations, organising and paying for the Olympic preparation, distributing cash to federations and is playing a key role in producing sports coaches. It is also pushing hard to have one-third of French school time devoted to sport or leisure time activities, which is a major break from the strict academic system. SUBSIDIES Sports officials feel that the ministry is doing an essential job, specially in giving subsidies to national federations such as handball for national and international championships. These sports draw few spectators and the ministry cash helps cover losses. It also runs four major centres, including the famous national sports institute covering 65 acres outside Paris.

Every sport can be played there, even pelota. In other centres, yachting, mountaineering, ski-ing and PT expert coaches are trained The ministry also runs 19 provincial centres for coaches and perfection courses; Another aspect of the minis-, try's work is improving international sports co-operation and doing research into training. For that was the day when Sir William unveiled a plaque at No 1 Cockspur Street which read: "On this site stood the Pall Mall restaurant where the Rugby Football Union was founded on January 26, 1871." There might be differences about the form a competition should take. But at least after 100 years the Rugby Football Union is pretty much agreed that there should be some form of competition SIR WILLIAM RAMSAY SmaS From ERIC THOMPSON, England's leading Rugby League writer. LONDON, Saturday.

England has made a dramatic swing away from Rugby League on Saturdays. than on Saturdays. In the English Challenge England L.up second round 1 and the competition for which the final is staged at Wembley only one out of eight matches is likely to be played on the scheduled to date, Saturday, February 20. The other seven ties will all be played the following day, Sunday, February 21, or on the Friday evening, February 19. Now that clubs' are Ig-noring their old fashioned Lord's observance pact Sunday has become the big sporting day for English R.L.

Attendances are three times higher on Sundays in the the letter by not admission. But the same by program outside The 10 times than on fans are get into are players get a far The are also doing a roaring trade at the Sunday games they are open when the pubs are shut. Englishmen have a big thirst on Sundays. One cup tie, the star Leeds St Helens match, remains a Saturday afternoon game, so English RL can keep up its four-year-long television contract to allow one of these matches to be televised live on Saturday afternoon. This keeps England's TV spectacular on -Saturday's "grandstand" going.

English RL is also preparing to turn to summer Rugby. clubs are stul obeying of England's laws charging spectators spectators are paying price for admission which they buy the ground. Bars, too programs are costing more on Sundays Saturdays, but the happy to pay it to the match and clubs happy to pay there more because they bigger attendance. club's licensed bars "Evening" TA i t-rr uished, getting little attention, 'Ail' 5i 66 66 THE SUN-HERALD, JAN 31, 1971.