RUGBY SCRUM

Evening Star, Issue 21750, 19 June 1934, Page 4

RUGBY SCRUM

PUTTING THE BALL IN DIGGUS3IGK BY RUGBY Ui’.lOH Statements that the ball was being j)iit into the scrum unfairly were made by members at the weekly meeting of the Management Committee of the Otago Rugby Union last night, and the matter was discussed at some length, but without any action being taken. “-Putting of the ball into the serums is causing a lot of trouble,” said Mr 1), O, Jolly, who introduced the subject. He said he thought that most members would agree with him that they had not had a good scrum since they adopted the (1-2-3 formation. Was it possible for them to allow the referee to put the ball in the scrum ? It was noticeable in the game on Saturday that the player generally put the ball in on the opposite side from the referee. He understood the Referees’ Association would be delighted if its members were allowed to put the ball in. The Chairman (Mr .T. Mitchell) said the rules of the game did not allow the referee to put the ball in except in exceptional circumstances. Mr O’Shea said that if a player repeated the offence of putting in unfairly he was liable after warning to be ordered off.

Mr Jolly: The trouble is the referees won’t take up that stand.' Air Douglas also pointed out that it was only in exceptional circumstances that the referee was allowed to put the ball in. jVlr C. Sonntag said that some years ago the referees put the ball in for a season, but it was not successful. It was all right if a referee know about packing and scrummaging. It was found, however, that some of the re, farees did not know how to put the ball in. Some of the referees seemed to be frightened to come alongside the scrummage. The Chairman said that last Saturday both half-backs were infringing by not putting the hall in properly. Mr Cavanagh said he had studied the putting iff of the ball with the teams with which he was connected. He had instructed them to take the ball at each end and roll it in as it should bo done, but it could not be done truly on some grounds. On some rough grounds the ball could not be rolled in fairly, and even on Carishropk, over a hole" made by the game, it coukl not always be dune. The Chairman sdid he had seen bias put on the hall as it was rolled in. Mr Cavanagh said it was for the referee to judge of the intent of the player putting the Gall in; it was not where the ball landed. Mr Jolly expressed the opinion that players should be instructed to put the ball in on the same side as the referee was standing. He thought it was amusing to watch players running round to the side opposite froni the referee. Mr W. Pearson said he thought the intentions of the twp half-backs in the game last Saturday were quite good. He was of the opinion that the trouble was caused through the screwing of the scrums He did not think' he had seen a match in which there was so pinch screwing of the scrums. He would ppt say that either half-hack endeavoured to put the hall in unfairly. It was the keenness of the players and the screwr ing of the scrums that were responsible. " Why can’t we allow the referees to put the' ball in?” asked another member. The .Secretary pointed out that according to t]ie rules the referee eoultl put the hall in only in exceptional circumstances, . ’ , ~ The Chairman: It is a remarkable thing that the side putting the ball in gets it the majority of times. Mr Jolly: Call that luck! Air Cfivangh: I have seep the referee putting the hall in and one side getting it all day. . . There was no further discussion, and no motion was tabled concerning the matter.