RUGBY FOOTBALL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 290, 3 September 1919, Page 10

RUGBY FOOTBALL

DECISION OF A REFEREE

PETONE-ATHLETIC MATCH

Tho Management Committee of tho Wellington liugljy Union mm, last night, Mr. W. F. ilornig presiding. In reference to we proa'sb made by the Athletic Club against tho decision ur tliu referee, Captain A. .'3. Neilson, in allowing I'etoiio a second lily in the senior match on August 2!f, Captain Jfeilson reported that an Athletic ba<sk kicked tho hall into touch, most of his tien.ni being in Iroiit of tiie spot where Ihe ball went into touch. Tho I'ctonn wing-forward 'immediately tlirew Wie saniu uali into play. The ball was thrown in at the rignt pkice, was thrown straight, ami more than five yards irom ihts loucJiliiie; from the ensuing play a try was scored. The captain or the Avlnefic team then informed him Ihati he would lodge a formal protest on the ground that the Petonu 'captain had asked for a scrummage when Mie ball" went into touch. Jf fiuch a requei-t was made, then he (the referee) did not hear it. No mention was made by the Atliletic captain of the two statements appwirin-' in the Athktie Club's letter that: "The Petone captain asked tho referee for serums instead of line-outs for (.lie remainder of the game," and that "the referee sounded his whistle before Petone had scored iheir try." At no Lime during the game did-lne Petone captain inform him .that ho desired scrunmia"es instead of line-outs for Hie remainder ot the game. Tho statement that be blew his whistle before the try was scored was absolutely contrary to' fact. On most occasions in the second spell when tho ball was in Much, ami it was lotones ball, the Petone t.am did bring Hie ball info play-by a scrummage ten yawls irom the touch-line and that fact may have misled the Athli-tin team into believing that a. scrummuge would be taken on the occasion under review As referee, ho could be j;overned only by tliQ mice of the game, which elated that when the ball was in touch it was to bo brought into play by one of two methods, and if the ball was correctly bfouffht into play by->eithe; method, tha reiereo had no power to stop the game, even tnougli the opposing team was not in position for defence In response to the union's request, Uptam JNeilson attended the meetiii" ami said it had been reported that Mr' l\ W '\ Al'i ™'| la^ (I 'hat everything ;„' the Athletic Clulj's letter was true Such a statement made before the referee's report was received was nob fair It whs dimcult to understand how Mr Buck liar! comu to form such an opinion seeing that it was distinctly opposed to tilrn facts. ,

■Mr. Buck said he- was on tho lino when the incident occurred, jiiiU he asked Mr Kittu, Ilia line umpire, irlwt had occurred. Hi.-. Kitti. repiied tliat Ow i'erono cajjtain bad oalied for a scrum Iho Polone player, Ambler, then picked tip tho bah, ;iud shot ovur the line. That wuß what he was'referring to when he made tlio statement reported in the Press lie was simply going on what Mr. Kitlo hatf told him.

Air. Perry said that Captain Noilsun did not blow his whistle until the try was scored. If She sUoeuiont coutaiueo in the Athletic Club's letter wore true. H'iiy -did two Athletic men luckle Ambler? Captain A'eilson remarked that Corner, the ketone caplaiu, might have applied , tor a ssruiiiinuse. but owing to the noiso ot tue ciiooring he did' nul hear hiiu. Mi: Buck expressed iilio opiuion that a scrum was asked for, but he believed tuat the raerc-i! tliti not hour tlie request. If Captain iS'eilsun had iifard tho uppli. cation he was euro tho ivhi.stio wouid Jiiivu been blown. Sir. .Buck said he would withdraw any inlerence that) might have been attached to hie remark at the last meeting. On tho motion of Mr. Prendeville, it was decided that the Atlildie Club's appeal be dismissed, (.lie referee's decision Being iiiuil on tne matter which was a question ol fact.

Uie ISeJson Union forwarded a request for u representative- match, to bo played with u. Wellington team. On account of the notice heing too short, them not being sutiicieut time in which to warn the Wellington players, it was dccirlorf to refuse tiio request. The committee, however, rwuived that We B team should visit Palmerslun North to play JUaimwatu on Saturday ntxc, provided that the Manawuiu Union arrange for n return mutch with Wellington on September Is. mi: 3. i\ jAnii, iieiidmaster of Wellington College, wrote, thanking the union for its congratulations on tiie victory of the College team over Wanganui Collegiate Scbuol, uldo expressing Ins appreciation of Hie courtesy shown him by tho union and the lion, secretary.

THIKB CLASS. Following are third-class fisturos for Saturday :— Athletic v. Sehvyn, at Kilbirnie, 1.30 U.m. (u Simpson). Old Jiuy.s v, I'etone, at Kilbimie, 130 P.m. (It. i ,, . Larway). CANTEIUJUBY BTJGBi' UNION. Hi Vtie.'i-,i.(iii-l'-ras» iiwouaMitb Christchurch, September 2 At the \ meeting of tlw Canterbury iuigby Lilion it was decided, owiii" kj the railway restrictions, Hiat it was"not possible to Hcml a reprwectative team to Utiigt) and Southland. A rough balancesheet shewed tuat the receipts durin» the season totalled J11285 16s. 7d. and the expenditure .£IOB4 Hs. .]d., lcavnig a credit balance of J&jti. MAN AW AT U TEAM TO PLAY WELLINGTON. By Tclecraph—Spcclai Correspondent. Palmerston North, Se:>iember 2. The Maiiawatii representative fifteen to meet AVellingto.'i at Pnlmei-stou North on Saturday will comprise the following:— Full-back, Seeker; thtve-uuarters FairbVothw, H. Steivwt, and Andrews; fiveeighths, Martin (captain) and Ingliam; naif, Han-is; forwards, Diedrich (wing), Skinner, Cm-roll, Munro, ]>ustin, Brown, ltedslmw, Mulliiis.