REFEREES ASSOCIATION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 73, 29 August 1947, Page 6

REFEREES ASSOCIATION

WELLINGTON CONFERENCE INTERPRETATION OF LAWS. The following interpretations on the laws of the game- of Rugby were given at the conference of the Rugby Referees’ Association held at Wellington. Law 1. If the goal posts are slightly out of alignment it is advisable that the referee should award a goal if the ball goes over the cross bar between the posts. If the posts are seriously out of alignment they should be rectified. In both instances the attention of the Rugby Union should be called to the fault, If the five yards line is marked with a continuous line and the ball when crossing that line is ruled as in touch the game should be restarted with a scrummage. The referee is at fault in not seeing that the ground is properly marked out before the game commences.

An offside playfer to place himself on-side by retiring into the ingoal area must do so by placing both feet in the in-goal area. If time is up when a player, is tackled the referee should call time. In order to take a fair catch the player should be on both feet and momentarily stationary when the ball is taken and the heel mark made.

If the ball strikes the player’s chest and rebounds, strikes the player’s hand or arm, and then goes forward this constitutes a knock-on.

Where a player takes the ball in a line out and a ruck forms and the player passes the ball back through the ruck, the New Zealand Union has ruled that if the ball keeps moving the play should continue. Law 3. Where the local club is responsible for the ground arrangements, its opponents are deemed to be the visiting team. Law 4. If the ball bursts the play should be re-started with a scrummage.

Law 5. The referee is the sole judge as to whether rings etc. are dangerous. Aluminium studs are banned by the New Zealand Rugby Football Union.

Law 10. The referee must not allow anyone but the players on the field during a match, except with his permission, whether the person be a Rugby Union official or an Ambulance man. In all cases the referee’s permission must first be given. Permission should not be refused in the case of masters who are coaching very young school boys, or coaches in the case of lower grades. When a player is injured and has left the field, he can only re-enter the field of play after obtaining permission from the referee. If the player does not obtain the permission of the referee, a penalty kick under Law 348 or a penalty try under Law 26 may be awarded. Injured players • are not entitled to the full three minutes except in the case of serious injury. Cases of minor injury should be removed to the sideline and the game continued. If time is up and the referee awards a sprummage the scrummage must be taken.

If time is up when the ball becomes dead, excet in the case of a free kick, a penalty kick or a try, the referee should blow his whistle and announce that time is up. In the case of a penalty kick or a kick at goal after a try the placer must have his hand on the ball provided the ball is on the ground when kicked.

Law 15. The player placing the ball in the scrummage is allowed to choose the side of the scrummage on which the ball should be put in, but cannot alter his' decision. The choice of sides can be altered for each scrummage. When being placed in the scrummage the ball must not touch the ground until it has passed the first foot of a player of each team, but must touch the ground not past the centre of the scrummage.

The line of the feet of the front row players is deemed to be the generally straight line of the feet of the three players forming the front row in their natural position. The ball shall be put into the scrummage again after it enters and comes out, at any time, on either side between the lines of feet- of the players forming the front row, or between the feet of either of the outside players of each front row on the side on which the. ball was put in.

Law 16. If a player is tackled just short of the goal line and immediately releases the ball, which rolls into the goal area where it is grounded by a defnding player before it has been played with a foot, a penalty kick should be awarded, pro-

vided the tackled player did not knock the ball when he released it. Law 34. If a player “head locks” an opponent, it should be treated as foul, play under law 34. Law 8. The referee must keep his own time.