Horowhenua Supports Rugby Replacement Rule

Chronicle (Levin), 6 October 1949, Page 4

Horowhenua Supports Rugby Replacement Rule

The Horowhenua Rugby Uniom will support a ^move to have the rules altered to permit the replacement of injiired players in all matches, including international games. This was decided at a meeting of the management committee, on Tuesday night after" a circular letter from Ihe Soutliland Rugby Union had been considered. The letter stated that the Southland union had received correspondence from its referees' association, which asked: "Has a xeferee any power to order from the field any player who has suffered an injury and who in the referee's opiniqn is unfit to continue playing?" Ihe Southland Rugby Union circular went on: Under the existing ruling for international games there shall be no replacement of any player- while the game is in progress. It is obvious that any player injured, seriousiy or otherwise, will leave the field only as a last resort, whereas under the replacement rule he would probably oe replaced by an emergency. The position arises that a player injured in a game played under the non-replacement rule will continue to play, but, as- often is. the case, a further injury may have grave consequences. "My union invites any comment that your union may care to make on this, as it considers that this is a matter that should be taken up with our parent body with a view to having the law for international matches altered .to allow replacements." It was his view that the international rule of no replacements was wrong, commented Mr. J. A. Zuppicich after the circular had been read. "No referee would like to order an injured player off knowing that he cannot be replaced, nor would he want to allow a player to continue if he ; was not fit." The rule s'hould be altered to allow replacements in all games, he added. * After further brief discussion it was resolved to support any move to permit replacements.