BELOW STANDARD

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 60, 8 September 1931, Page 15

BELOW STANDARD

RUGBY REFEREEING

SATURDAY'S BIG GAME

(By "Drop-Kick.") It is an accepted fact that a, refer can mako or mar a game of footba and somo instances were quoted "The Post" on Saturday of gam being spoilt by bad rofereeinjj. : these cases, which were not local, ; overdose of whistle was the main cau of complaint. Wellington has not be( without experiences of reforeeing b low standard, aud Saturday's b game, Australia v. Wellington, was ease in point. Infringements woro ri: throughout the game, and many < them were allowed to pass withoi penalty, while in aome instances appeared that tho official in charg viewed incidents in an entirely dift'erei light from that of spectators on tli bank and in tho stand. The fact the glaring cases of unfair tactics did nc call i'or a penalty gave rise to ironic; cheering on the few occasions whe the referee did take action, moro pai ticularly when it s'oenied to tho 01 lookers that the non-offending sid was penalised. The manner in whic the game was refcreed was one of th disappointing features of a contest e.\ ppcted to provide much in the way o bright, spectacular football. The scrummages—the old battle o 3-2-3 versus 2-3-2—were tho centre o a good deal of illegal play, and a times there was more than* a tendenci towards roughness. The referee occa" sionaliy did take action, but there wa: much going on- j n the keenness oJ battle that would uot have been toler ated by a strict referee. Among the glaring eases of breaches of tho rules was tho manner in which tho ball was made to enter the scrummage. More often than not the visiting half-back threw the ball against or behind the feet of the front-row men, a procedure not in accordance with the rules, but almost invariably this method of service was allowed to go on. Other illegalities in the scrummage were often committed without penalty. Obstruction was a bad feature of the play, and the local wing-forward camo in for a good deal of attention in his efforts to get round the scrum. In tho open, too, there were glaring eases on both sides which, much to tho surprise of spectators, did not call for action on the part of the referee. Minor in-fringements,-such as knocks'on and forward passes, were-frequont, and some were of assistance in the registration of tries. Referees no doubt act to the best of their ability, but- for important games such as that on Saturday those responsible for tho choice of referees should make every endeavour to find the best available officials. The New Zealand Appointment Board chooses tho referees for all games with the Australian team except the Test, and, since the choice of a referee for the Test is left to the visitors, the policy should be to appoint the best referees in Now Zealand to the games preceding tho Test.