NEW ZEALAND RUGBY LAWS

Chronicle (Levin), 27 February 1947, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND RUGBY LAWS

-sress Assoclatlon

AMENDMENTS' DEBATED

3y Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, Thursday. Importanc amendments to the -aws of rugby were debated by the council of ihe New Zealand Rugoy j Aion today when considering re.nits to the iniernational confermce in London this year. The proposals included a reduction in -he number of players in a team j.nd an amended scoring scale. The jstablishmeni of an imperial body -o make and administer the laws jf. rugby was favoured and also a schectule of tours so that .plans zoula be made well in advance. The chairman, Mr. S. S. Dean, -aid the council was disappointea -hat so few unions had suggestions oO ma4ie, only Southland, Hawke's Bay, Auckland and Canterbury replying to their request. The .mggestion of a 14-a-side .team vould bring inevitable opposition, said Mr. Dean, and he had already oeen informed by a "sport" pionv,.' .hat South Africa would wish to retain three in the front row. Mr. Clyde Kenndy, vice-president jf the New South Wales Union, who was present by invitation, said that there would be much support from Australia for the proposition. Mr. C. J. Wray, formerly New Zealand rugby representative in England, said that there would be strong prejudice among Home counties against adopting any of the League's rules. The remit was approved. The following new scale of points was proposed. Try three points, goal from try five points (try not to count) , goal from fair catch twc, goal from penalty two, and field goal two. Mr. Dean explained later that the remit rfestricted a fair catch to the catcher's own terri tory which would' virtually eliminate goals from such a source. Mr. J. Prendeville referred to ohe salutary influence of the pen-

alty kick, but others refused to agree that the penalty kick was worth as much as a try and the remit was approved A remit was also approved that the advantage rule apply to all phases of the game, the' only restriction being that the player or team offending did not gain advantage.