ATHLETIC SPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1176, 11 July 1911, Page 7

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

RUGBY FOOTBALL. THE WEEK AND ITS EVENTS. CITY AND BEYOND. The following aro the Rugby grounds, fixtures, and referees for Saturday next:— Senior Matches. % T'oneke v. St. James, at .Athletic Park, i\o. I; Mr. .11. Card. Southern v. Wellington, at Athletic Park, No. 2; Mr. '!'. H. Jones. Petone v. Melrose, at I'etone, No. 1; Mr. C Atkinson. Athletic v. Old Boys, at Polo Ground, :No. 1; "Mr. J. R. Russell. Oriental v. Victoria. College, at Karori, jNo. 2; Mr. C. Ingram. Junior Matches. Wellington v. Southern, at Polo, No. 2; Mr. 11. Larway. Oriental v. Selwyn, at Polo, No. 3; Mr. h. Simpson. Petone v. St. James, at Petone, No. 2; Mr. J. J. Mnhoney. St. John's v. Athletic, at Polo, No. i; Mr. G. rindlay. Victoria College v. Poneke, at Miramar Park, ISo. 1; .Air. AV. C. Church. Old Boys v. Melrose, at Miramar Park, No. 2; Mr. B. Fordyce, Third Class. Exchange v. Porirua, at Porirua: Mr. Taplm. S r -, J ohn's v. Upper Hutt, at Upper Hutt; Mr. AV. J. Meredith. Selwyn v. Wellington College, at Wellington College; Mr. A. E. Neilson. Oriental v. Southern, at Miramar Park, No. 3; Mr. W. Spencer. • Petone v. AVellington, at Petone, No. 3; Mr. H. Clinkard. Karori v. Athletic, at Karori, No. 1; Mr. I'. A. Laws. AVaiwetu, a bye. ' Fourth Class. Oriental A v. Melrose, at Miramar Park, No. i; Mr. W. Roberts. Oriental B v. AVaiwetu, at Hutt, No. 2; Mr. J. A. Jones. St. James v. Southern, at Duppa Street; Mr. S. Standen. AA'ellington v. Selwyn, at Kelburne Park; Mr. A. Kean. Petone, a bye. Fifth Class. Petone v. Wellington College B, at Wellington College, 3 p.m.; Mr. J. Cohder. Southern v. Wellington College A, at Wellington College, 1.30 p.m.; Mr. A. Bott. . Melrose v. St. James, at Athletic Park, 1.30 p.m.; Mr. L. Kevs. Poneke v. Hutt, at Hutt, No. 1; Mr. D. A. Taylor. Oriental v. Athletic, Athletic Park, 1.30 p.ni.; Mr. A. Thompson. Fixtures. for Wednesday. Artillery v. Tramway, at Athletic Park, No. 1; Mr. J. O'Sullivan. Oriental v. Athletic, at Athletic Park, No. 2; Mr. G.'Slines. THE UXIA'ERSITY TOUR. By Telestrapli—Press Association—Copyrieht Sydney, July 10. The New Zealand University footballers are passengers by the Uliinaroa for AVellington. LAAVS OF RUGBY. RULINGS BY THE EXECUTIVE. ' The -following decisions given by the Executivo of the New Zealand Referees' Association have been forwarded to the Wellington referees. Question by AVellington- ,R.A.: The whistle being blown for a knock-on, a. player picked the bull up and kicked it into touch. The referee considered the player's intention was to waste time, and penalised him by a free kick. AVas tho decision a correct one?— Answer: Yes. Question by Taranaki R.A.: Can the ball be put into a scrummage by rolling it right through .'Answer: If a ball rolls riglit 'through-a scrummage so that neither sido has played it, it cannot be considered as scrummaged, and it must be put in again but, if it is wilfully rolled through at. such a pace that neither side has a reasonable opportunity of playing it," the player offending should be penalised for putting the ball' unfairly in. Question by Nelson R.A.: Place-kick at goal.—The kicker places the ball on the ground to show how he wants it to be placed. Can tho placer pick the ball up, or does the kicker have to place the ball in the placer's hands?— Answer: It is illegal for tho kicker to place the ball' on the ground or to touch it when it is on tho ground even after a charge has been disallowed, and if he does so the kick is forfeited.

Question by Otago R.A.:' The note "tackle" on Pago 14 of Ihe hand-book appears to be contradictory to the previous reading of the rule. Are referees in the. Dominion ruling recording to that definition, and what authority have' the New Zealand Referees' Association for altering tho previous reading in the 1010 hand-book?— Answer: This note is not contradictory as stated, the old note being still in force as far as it. can applv. Owing to (he alteration in the definition of tackle," which arrived when the 1010 hand-book was in the press, there was not sufficient' time to revise the case law, and Ihe book was accordingly issued with only tho law altered. As'will be noticed there a considerable difference in the wording of the definition, and it has now been considered necessarv to substitute for the old note (which* was introduced to interpret the old definition) a new note so as to enable referees and players lo grasp the meaning clearlv, ami to bring, it into line with the new definition which reads: That the holder ol the ball must be so held bv one or more players of the opposite side so that he cannot pass it. So that', if the player is able to pass tho ball when he is graV ed by an opponent, lie cannot be coii*"lcr<,(' a? tackled within the meaning of the definition and, therefore, if he comes to the ground when thus grasped, he is in directly the same position regarding this law, as the player who accidental!? stumbles or fail,, and there is nothing to prevent the player doing anv of the things mentioned in the note in 'question provided that it be done immediate™' As it is.nißnitesM.v- almost impossible for the p aver, who is tackled, under the new dehni ion to do anything with the ball except perhaps to drop it, it was considered sufficient to insert the second mt ta *« * M