Australian Visitor On Dominion Rugby

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 32, 8 February 1937, Page 5

Australian Visitor On Dominion Rugby

COMPARISON IN PLAYERS Among the passengers who arrived in Auckland by the Wanganella was Mr R. P. Browne, one of the bestknown Rugby Union authorities in Sydney and New South Wales. Mi Browne is on a flying visit to Auckland and Wellington on a business trip. He leaves by the Awatea from Wellington on Tuesday next for Sydney on his way to England and America. Mr Browne, who was born in the Auckland ClubShortland street, was educated at the Wellesley street school and then left to reside in Sydney, states the Herald. During his early years Mr. Browne took a great interest in the New South Wales Rugby Union, of which he was a vice-president, and at times acted as secretary, both for the union and the Referees’ Association. In the players who visited Australia from 1897 to the present time he has always taken a personal interest. When tho 1897 New Zealand team visited Australia he was the honorary secretary of the entertainment committee of tho New South Wales Rugby Football Union *nd before tho return home of that team they presented him with a photograph of themselves. Best New Zealand Team Mr Browne holds the unique record of having visited England with the original All Blacks of 1905 and again with the 1935 All Blacks. He also accompanied the Maori team to the Western Districts of New South Wales iu 1935 and presented Mr W. J. Wallace, who acted as co-manager with Mr Kingi Tahiwi, with a photograph of the veteran New South Wales players. This was in celebration of Mr Wallace’s 50th birthday. Mr Browne considers that the best New Zealand team to cross the Tasman was the 1903 team. Speaking in regard to the 1935 team, he expressed the opinion that only in one way could it compare with the 1905 champion side. This was in regard to its great popularity, both on and off the field. The Welsh papers had eulogised the manager, Mr Y. R. Meredith, and his * ’boys.” Speaking of the international standard of Rugby Union football, Mr. Browne said he considered that the present-day players could not be compared with the champions of the early days. There were no Nicholsons, Seelinga, McGregors, Wallace’s, no skipper like the late D. Gallagher, or no brains or coaching ability of J. Duncan. There were few forwards of the George Tyler type. The Greatest Players. “You have the players, but no coach- . cs,” added Mr Browne. “If only •Billy’ Wallace would take more teams in hand, New Zealand would never be defeated. The same can be said of Wales. Just think of Gwyn Nicholls, W. Llewellyn, A. F. Harding, E. T. Morgan, R. Owen and P. Bush. We shall never see the equal of these playera again. Much, argument still goes on as to who was the greatest Rugby player of any day. I consider Gwyn Nicholls, or Wales, number one, W. J. Wallace, number two, and Stan Wickham, of Australia, number three. Mr Browne is one of Australia’s greatest charity workers, and, with the assistance of the New South Wales Commercial Travellers’ Association at i

hospital carnivals and charity entertainments all over New South Wales, he has collected thousands of pounds as an honorary organiser. He hag been recognised by the New South Wales Government, Sir Dudley de Chair and the late Sir Walter Davidson, Governors or that State, who personally presented him with souvenirs for his great efforts.