RUGBY FOOTBALL

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 186, 3 May 1940, Page 13

RUGBY FOOTBALL

Representative Games To Proceed N.Z. UNION’S DECISION Major Tours To Be Curtailed The recommendation of the council of the New Zealand Rugby Union that no international tours, Ranfurly Shield matches, Prince of Wales Cup matches or North Island-South Island matches be played for the duration of the war, was carried at the annual meeting of the New Zealand union held in Wellington yesterday. A further recommendation that no organized tours be undertaken by unions, and that interprovincial matches be confined to weekend, home and home and holiday matches, was defeated. ■ Delegates were unanimous that the unions were 100 per cent, behind the Government and the country in the war effort, and that nothing would be done to prejudice recruiting. At the same time it was considered that unions would not undertake tours without giving the issues involved every consideration, and that to leave the question to the good sense of the unions was the most satisfactory course to adopt. . To help footballers who have joined His Majesty’s forces and who may be transferred from their homes to a military camp in another district, to play in football matches without the delay caused by securing transfers and clearances, it was decided to suspend clause 2of rale 45. This suspension means that all members of His Majesty’s forces may play in any competition without complying with the residential qualification and securing the usual transfers and clearances. , , r . On the motion of Mr. N. McKenzie (Hawke’s Bay) it was decided that it. be a recommendation to the council to abandon the system of .trials as carried out last season in favour of the system of regional trials, which applied in the selection of the 1924 All Blacks. o The motion was supported by Mr. te. S. Dean and by the sole selector, Mr. E. McKenzie, and was carried unanimously. Gift Of £lOOO.

It was decided to make a gift to the Government of £lOOO toward the war fund. Explaining the wishes of the council, which made the recommendation, Mr. S. S. Dean said that Rugby Union football was the national pastime and it was considered fitting that the controlling body should take such action. Supporting the recommendation, Mr. G. A. Maddison (Hawke’s Bay) said that the union’s funds had been subscribed by the public, which would, he felt sure,. thoroughly approve of the decision to make the £lOOO a gift and not a loan for the duration of the war. Delegates unanimously approved of a motion to add the name of the Hon. J. McLeod. (Taranaki) to the list of life members. A proposal arising from the last annual meeting that one of the rules be amended, to provide for the inclusion of the immediate past president as a member of the council was defeated. It was decided to grant the same allocation as last season (£750) to school football. On the motion of Mr. J. N. Millard (Wellington), it was decided, to send a message of greeting to Lleut-Colonei. T. J. King, a member of the council last year, and now with the N.Z.E.F., in Egypt; also to two life members, Messrs. 11. Frost and H. Harris.

Lack of Uniformity.

On the motion of Mr. N. McKenzie (Hirwke’s Bay), it was agreed that it be a recommendation to the council that it impress on the New Zealand Rugby Referees’ Association the necessity for obtaining uniformity in the practical interpretation of the laws of the game. Mr. McKenzie said that the present lack of uniformity in applying the rules in the various centres was a bone of contention among players. This was noticeable on tours, and players were frequently confronted with different rulings. He gave a number of' experiences of the Hawke’s Bay team on tour and instances of different interpretations of putting the ball in the scrum.

Mr. J. H. Parker urged that every attempt should be made not only to secure such uniformity in the interpretation of the rules, but also in the packing of the scrum. He felt that good purpose would be served if the scrum question were threshed out during the war period so as to have uniformity when international tours were resumed. Mr. Murray (Otago) said one of the great difficulties in the game had been that of putting the ball in the scrum. In a subsidiary competition in Otago last, season, the experiment of the referee putting the ball In the scrum hud .been tried and had proved most, satisfactory. He believed the adoption of this practice would eliminate a great deal of dissatisfaction. Mr. Baker (Auckland) said bis union was of) the same opinion.