RULES OF RUGBY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 284, 20 August 1918, Page 6

RULES OF RUGBY

MUST BE ADHERED TO. Consideration was given at last night's meeting of tho Management Committee of tho New Zealand ltugby Union to tho questiDii of unions having departed from tho rules of the Rugby Football Union in local and inter-umon matches. Mr. G. ll.'Dixon, chairman of, the committee, stated that ho understood the Auckland-Wellington game on Saturday last was played under rules other than those of the Rugby Union, and tho question was whether the committee was justified in allowing any modification of tho rules.

Dr.' P. M. jM'Evcdy was strongly of opinion that no alteration should be permitted. "It is simply the thin edgo of tho wedge," ho added. "We simply havo to play Rugby or Northern Union.".Ho had been' speaking to a man who'had played in the match, and had learned that the general opinion of the Wellington representatives was that the rules as played in Auckland wore not satisfac,tory. Tho 'Wellington men preferred to play the Rugby game strictly. Mr. B. Marris: Strange to say,' I was speaking to a member of tho team t<s- - and lie gave me just tho opposite view. • He said tho rules in Auckland were all right. Mr. Dixon said Auckland had madte an experiment in connection with an "imaginary line." It was doubtful whether the New Zealand L'nion had been ' justified in "winking" at what Auckland had done.

Mr. Maruis: If Auckland have t>een playing .those rules all the season, and no action has been taken, is it a fair thing to take action now, .at this 6tage of the season?

Dr. IL'Evedy: Alt interprovlnclal games must be playetl according to the rules of llugby. • Mr. E. iJVyho said lie was afraid the union could not interfere directly with local competitions, but they could deal ivitli representative matches. It was time that the union entered a most emphatic protest against the innovation. 1 After further discussion it was resolved, on the motion of Dr. M'Evedy, that the attention of all unions be drawn, to Rule 2 of the constitution of the New Zealand Rugby Union, atid that the unions bo directed that all inter-union 'games 'must be played under the Rugby football Union rules, as provided by Rule 2. o ' —————————