A RACEHORSE GAME.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 48, 20 November 1907, Page 7

A RACEHORSE GAME.

ROOBY REGENERATED.

WHAT NORTHERN UNION RULES HAVE ACCOMPLISHED. UREAT SAVING OF TIME. / Tho following notes on the Northern Rugby Union game, from our special correspondent with tho New Zealand team, reached Duncdin yestprday, and woro telegraphed on to Wellington:- '• WITH THE ALL BLACKS. y ) (By A. H. Baskervillo.) Leeds, October 9. To-night 1 received a clipping from a NeW Zealand papor allowing that the delegates to tho Wellington Rugby Union had sot up a special committee to consider ways and means of making their gamo more attractive. If thoso delegates saw what I 6aw this afternoon at a " Leeds-Hunslot Northern Union iuter-club match, this committee would be Unnecessary, because cvory delegate would at once urgo the adoption of the entire Northern Union rules. 1 will modify' this statement and say: With the exception perhaps of the rnlos applying to professionalism J but oven tbeso would bo considered favourably by a few of them. FULL OF INCIDENT. ' . But to return.to the match. There was moro incident crammod into tho first half of it than ono would seo in throe Now Zeal-' and inter-club matches. It was a rovelation to us. Wo all attendod except Watkina, who injured his knoo at practice tho first day, and is now confined to hia bed. Wβ, wero dolighted with tho fascinating display of "football." To tho spectators other than New Zcalandere, it was a slow "closo" gamo, as two well-matched teams,. noted for the prowess of thoir forwards, were playing to that division.. Wo all thought: "If this is a close Yorkshire forward game, what a spectacle a typical open Lancashire back gamo must bo!"

,If the players in tho latter county play a moro attractive ganio than tho one wo witnessed to-day, then football as played undor - Northern Union rules would suit New Zealand spectators right down to the ground.Strange to say, , you do not notice much dif-■ foronco. in the actual play, oxcept that it sooms very muoh faster than tho amateur gumo. BULLOGKINC ELIMINATED. , Although the rnles have been radically > changed, tho gamo is still good old Rugby. My impression is that the amendments have dono oxactly what tho Northern Unionists dosired .they should do—that is, they havo Wado Rngby a game of skill, and have-elimi-nated the bulloeking or rough tactics whicH, alasl aro almost necessary to actual success in Now Zealand contests. Thoy havo also mado the "passing" gamo absolutely necessary, instoad of resorting to tho tiresome monotonous kick into touch, and the subsequent lino out. It is not to bo understood that tho kick iiitoVtoHcn has been legislated out-of osistiiQP.ce entirely. Tho /Northern Unionists {cjm st,ill kick directly into touch'with a free kick; ■and in all other kicks, as long as.tho ball bounds into tho field of .play, it can roll or bounce ovor the touch-line. This rule makes lino-finding horo a finer art than it is in New Zealand. , "PLAY THE BALL." Ono of tho most bonoficial rules introduced iB thbir "play tho ball" rule. This operates when a player is tackled in possession, his progress being stopped, and tho ball held. Immediately this occurs tho tackier and tho tackled got up quickly on to their foot; tho latter still with the ball in his possession. Ho then drops it to tho ground botwocn himself and his opponent's goal lino, and then either side may play it with their feet. ! The offect of this rule is astonishing. If a player is tackled in New Zealand it is a oommon sight to see his opponents gather around and hustlo him or drag him along with' thorn., Nothing like this occurs ua Northern Union fields. It seemed a bit strango to us at first to seo a player tackled by an oppoiiont, and both get up and play tho ball. If other combatants arrived oo tho scono while this was boing dono, they gathered around and practically formed an impromptu scrum, far safer and moro attractivo than tho " scraps" you seo on those occasions in Now Zealand. WING PLAY—FREE KICKS. The adoption of the Northern Union "half back" rulo would quickly result in tho abolition of the wing forward, and would satisfy tho agitators who havo been oudeavouring to bring about his downfall lately. It works admirably. As stated in a former'.article, the half back (or wing forward) cannot advanco/ iu front of tbo foot of his back row of forwards until tho ball is quite clear of tho scrum. The advantages of this are very obvious, and require no further elaboration. • - Tho amateur method of taking a " free" ' kid; at goal must now bo criticised. Has it novor occurred to readers how ridiculous are the formalities which have to bo observed wbon Now Zoalanders are taking a "free" kick at goal? A placer lies down, often in tho mud, and wastes time while tlic kiclior places tho ball in position. Then other pautoniimical contortions arc performed until at last tho " free" kick is delivered. \ Thoro is no humbug about a Northern Union.kick at goal. Tho lucUer places tho ball i'u position on tho ground himself; mid has a "frcu" kick in every sense of the word, his opponents not oven being allowed to chargo his attoinpt. Moro important still, ■he-only wastes about a third of the time tho amateurs do.