PENALTY CONTROVERSY

Chronicle (Levin), 7 September 1949, Page 5

PENALTY CONTROVERSY

. ' (N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter.

Third Test Referee Replies , To Criticism

Copyright)

Received Wednesday, 10.35 a.m. DURBAN, Sept. 6. Mr. Eddie. Hoffmeyer, who refereed. the third rugby test on Saturday, has replied to the criticism levelled against him after the match. "A -man who goes on to the field every Saturday to handle a game must know more of the application of the rules than those who sit on the touchl'ine," he says. "Beeause a man has 20 Springbok caps it does not follow that he knofas the ! rules. If a referee c'ontrols. a game according to the rules he is made the scapegoat. It is most unfortunate that there should be so many penalties." ; The answers given by Mr. Hoffmeyer to several points were as follows: — "The obstruction of opposing players when Scott cleared was more evidenf than in the second test. It was the habit of the New Zealanders to run across otheir fullback when he was clearing. As Scott took the ball to kick in the face of three approaching South Africans, a player ran across him and hindered these attackers." Mr. Hoffmeyer said that the first penalty, which was for a scrum infringement, was beeause Black threw the ball on to his hookers' feet and the ball did not touch the giound. Team For Saturday. F. R. Allen will play in his hundredth first-class rugby match on Saturday. He will led the All Elacks against Border, which was the first team to defeat them on this tour. The team is: R. W. H. Scott. P. Henderson, M. P. Goddard, W. A. Meates; F. R. Allen, G. W. Delamore; L T. Savage; J. G. Simpson, E. H. Catley, R. A. Dalton; P. J. Crowley, L. R. Harvey, p. C Willocks, P. A. Johnstone, t). L. Christian.