RUGBY FOOTBALL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 46, 27 June 1947, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL

LAST QUARTER RALLY BAY TEAM AT GISBORNE Although beaten by 17 points to 3 at Gisborne last Saturday, the Bay of Plenty representa- - tive team had the territorial advantage in the last quarter of the game. Poverty Bay scored three tries, one of which was converted, and two penalty goals were kicked. Bay of Plenty points came from a penalty goal by McGougan from 40 yards out late in the game when Poverty Bay was leading by 17—0. McGougan had previously missed goaling narrowly from two other free kicks.

“Bay of Plenty made a splendid rally in the concluding quarter and throughout maintained a more even share of territorial honours than was indicated by the score of 17 points to three in favour of the home side,” states the Poverty Bay Herald. “In the speedy play which characterised the contest, the deciding factor was the dash and better combination of the Poverty Bay forwards. Though lighter than their opponents, the Poverty Bay set packed a better scrum.

“Poverty Bay were decidedly superior in hooking and heeling the ball and also outpaced the visitors in the loose, spoiling and opposing middle-backs more consistently and showed better application of backing up tactics in support of their own backs in both attack and defence. Their swift sorties among the visitors' backs more than offset the superiority shown by the Bay of Plenty forwards in the line-out.

“Due to the strain of consistent scrummaging against heavier opponents, however, the home forwards had to release the initiative in the final stages and rested on their substantial lead, the visitors thus appearing better able to maintain the torrid pace. “Poverty Bay won the ball from 22 set scrums and Bay of Plenty from seven, while 11 were indecisive.

“Bay of Plenty got possession on 21 occasions and Poverty Bay on 11, while 19 were indecisive. Each side was awarded seven penalty kicks-. Poverty Bay had to drop-out from the twenty.-five on seven occasions and Bay of Plenty on three.

“Both sets of backs showed willingness to make the play open with the home side seeming to hold a slight advantage in pace and surer tackling in the middle division.”

TOO MUCH OFF-SIDE REMINDER FOR PLAYERS Nothing spoils a game of football as much as too many free kicks for offside play. The public attends to see football and not to hear the referee blow his whistle. In an effort to assist young players to improve their knowledge of the off-side rule the Beacon publishes this summary of one of the rules of Rugby taken from the latest hand-book.

The Off-side Rule, Law 18: A player is off-side if he enters a scrummage from his opponent’s side; if while the ball is in a scrummage he remains with either foot in front of the ball although not in the scrummage; if at a throw-in from touch he stands or moves in front of a line at right-angles to touch where the ball went out; if in his own in-goal he is. in front of one of his own team who is taking a penalty kick from behind the goal-line, other than which he cannot be offside in his own in-goal; if the ball has been kicked or touched or is being carried by one of his own team behind him.

The rules provide penalties for each of these infringements, and there are several notes. A note to the third clause says that this merely applies to a player who is participating in a line-out, and does not necessarily mean that the player throwing the ball in must necessarily wait until the players of his own team have retui’ned to the line-out.

With regard to the last and most common clause, a note says that no off-side player shall play the ball or in any way obstruct an 'opponent, or approach and wilfully remain within ten yards of an opponent waiting for the ball.