RUGBY FOOTBALL

Chronicle (Levin), 2 July 1946, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL

FORMATION OF SCRUMMAGE NEW CHANGE DISCUSSED (By "Full-back") Perhaps no phase of modern rugby has been so much discussed as the scrummage. The South Africans used the 3-4-1 formation against the All Blacks in. 1928, but in 1930 New Zealand still used the old type of scrummage, with the roving wing-forward, against the touring English team. New Zealand had specialised for many years with the 2-3-2 scrum and the wing-forward, and we certainly adapted all our back play to (conform with it. During the early 1930's the 3-4-1 scrummage (with no official wing forward) became universal. Up to the present time it is safe to state that we have not mastered it, nor ; have we changed our back play as | other great rugby countries have done. To-day we have fast-break-ing forwards who are good in the loose, but /the solid-rucking and tight forward play is absent. It is I only fair to mention that the Kiwis and .the Combined Services' teams, when playing in England, demonstrated that we can still produce the right type of tight-playing forward. HoWever, the solid-rucking and excellent scrummage play of the young Scottish team rather upset a really good team which had the advantage of many games together and had worked up a great combination. This season we see another change in the scrummage laws. Whether it is an improvement or otherwise can only be proved in time. There has been much efiticism of the change, but until we have given it a fair trial we should do our best to master it without bias. Then, and only then, are we in a position to criticise the alteration. The Scrummage Laws Law two defines the scrummage thus: A scrummage, which can only take place in the field of play, is formed by one or more players oi' each team closing up round the bail when it is on the ground, or by players of each team closing up in readiness to allow the ball to be put on the ground before them in accordance with law 15. | Law 15 states th&t when a scrummage is ordered, or takes place: — (a) The referee shall award to the pon-offending team the right of putting the ball into the scrummage. If in doubt he shall awaid j ; the right to the team which is j territorially on the defensive. I (b) For an infringement or other | cause between the twenty-five yard I lines and within 10 yards of the I touch-lines, the scrummage shall take place 10 yards" from- the touchline on a line parallel to the goal lines through the place where the stoppage occurred. • (c) It is illegal for more than ( three players to form either front row of the scrummage before the ball has been put in. Note: Referees shall not inflict a penalty for a i breach of this law unless such I breach is wilful or persistent, in which case it must be dealt with under law 34 (c) "persistent infringement of the rules." (d) It is illegal, after the scrummage has been formed, for any i piayer to add himself to tne fioni I row before the ball has been put in. I Note' Referees shall stop the danl gerous practice of players formmg ! down some distance apart and • rushing together, and shall deal I with it under law 34 (a) (3) ("illegal charging." . (e) The ball shall be put m with'o!ut delay. Note: Any delay caused i by a piayer with the ball waiting 'for any of his team to join the ■ scrummage must be treated as wili ful waste of time. Penalty kick. ( (f) The piayer putting the ball j into the scrummage shall stand not i less than one yard away and, with i both hands below the knee, shall I put the ball in fairly, and at modi erate speed, so that it first tou'ches j the ground beyond one foot of the 1 nearest piayer of each front row. . ' (g) The ball is fairly in when it has been put in along a line midway between and parallel to the lines of feet of the players formmg each front row of tne scrummage i and has touched the ground. (h) The ball shall be put into the scrummage again if it enters and . comes out again at either side between the lines of feet of the players forming each front row, or between the feet of either of the outside players of each front row (on the side on which the ball has ! been put in. I ii) it is illegal for a foot'of any ' piayer in either front row to touch the ball until it is fairly in. The far fopt of the second piayer of each frbnt row on the side on which i the ball is being put in, and the ; feet of tlie piayer beyond, may be i raised and trclvanced as soon as the i ball has left the hands of the piayer ■ putting it in. No other foot may be raised or advanced until the ball has been touched - by one of these feet. (j) It is illegal for any piayer to t prevent the ball from getting ! fairly into the scrummage. j In any scrummage : ( 1 ) It is illegal for any piayer to return the ; ball by hand or foot after it has I come out of the scrummage. (2) It is illegal for any piayer to handle ; the ball, pick,it up by. hands or legs, or intentionally fall or kneel j while the ball is in the scrummage, excent as provided for in law 26 (b) ; "Try." . (3) It is illegal for any ; play cr lying on the ground to inter-

fere with the ball in any way. The penalty for an infringement of (d) , (e), (f), (i) and (j) or (1), (2) and (3), is a penalty kick awarded at the place of infringement. Points and interpretations of the scrummage law will appear next week.