Play Up

[vada2022]

What does the last line (“Play up! play up! and play the game!“) mean in this poem (written by Henry Newbolt)?

There's a breathless hush in the Close to-night—
Ten to make and the match to win—
A bumping pitch and a blinding light,
An hour to play and the last man in.
And it's not for the sake of a ribboned coat,
Or the selfish hope of a season's fame,
But his captain's hand on his shoulder smote
"Play up! play up! and play the game!“

[sandyRoe]

The colonels broke and the Gatling's dead

[sandyRoe]

I suppose it means that you should do your duty.

[Mamyalynne]

Quite a good synopsis here.

https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Vitai-Lampada-Henry-Newbolt/

[jno]

hm, a more accurate couplet for the imperial wars might be Belloc's:

Whatever happens, we have got
The Maxim gun, and they have not.

Was it the spirit of cricket that won wars, or more lethal technology?

[Atheist]

vada; "play up" means do your best at what you do, as you did when you were at school. "Play the game" means do your best and don't cheat, don't be false, play a fair game, follow the rules and trust in British fair play to make you come out the winner.

[douglas9401]

'sits back in a cloud of wistfulness'.

[vada2022]

Thank you so much.