The Rules of Rugby Football.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 28 June 1910, Page 4

The Rules of Rugby Football.

-. s- —» ■.— LATEST LIST OF AMENDMENTS. . From tho Now Zealand Referees • Associaitiion, Mr R. Bun-ge, secretary of the Horowhenua. Referees' Association, has received the following list of amendments to the rules of Rugby footlm-ll :— This Union's previoiis circular notifying aniendincnts approved by /• the International Btnard is hereby camcolled. Following is «. full list of amendments made by the International Hoard. These alterations are to bo adopted forthwith, - bv all Unions a (Filiated to tin's Union. ' Law 2: To the end of the definition of a. "tackle" add: "So that he cannot paw it," Strike out the definition of held. Law 2: Definition of kick-off: Delete all words after the word "may" in last sentence and substitute the following: "accept the kick, have the hall kicked off again or ,' scrummaged in it-he centre" of the ground." La,w 2: Definition of Delete all words afted .'the word | "may" in last sentence and substitute the. following: "accept the kick, have the ball dropped out again or scrummaged in the centre 'of the 2~) yards line." Law 3: sub-section (i). strike out the last words "under Law 11. Law 0: snb-secltioii (h), to read : : "When it lias been, put down ai'tei a tackle." In last sentence sub- ' stitute "tackled" for "held." Simi- ; ■liirly in all other laws wherever '. "held" occurs su.h.stitiite "tackled." ] Law 8: Amend second section ttr. read as follows: "An off-side player , .siiall not play the ball nor actively or pissivoly ohMruct an opponent nor approach nor wilfully remain : within ten yards of any opponent waiting for the ball, on anv breach. otc._ . . ." ' ' After the word "except" delete !1 the words "when carried in."'and •' substitute the following: "When a ' player carrying the ball is forced into touch by an opponent." Law 13: Add a new paragraph reading: "In the case of a kick for goal from -a mark, penalty oi try, if in the opinion of the referee the ball is illegally stopped aftei . the kick has bee'ni taken and he i.s of opinion that a goal would other-

wise undoubtedly have boon gained, lio shall have power to award the goal." Law 11: Amend Law 1-1 to read: "ff a player when over the o;;::iI lino and in possession of tin* ball be tackled before the ball is grounded, the ball ssli.mll be scrummaged five yards from the goal Hue opposite the spot where the plavor was tackled." La.w lfl: Substitute for Inst paragraph and make .now Law 20. as follows: Law 20: "If when a law is lirokon or .any irregularity of play oornrs not otherwise provided for. and any advantage is gained therefrom by the opposite side, the referee shall not blow his whistle hint, shall allow the game to proceed, but if no advantage is gninod by such side, and if no other procedure is provided, the ball shall b;' taken back to the place whore the breach of the law or irregularity occurred and a scrummage formed there." Law 20 now to be law 21. Tho following alterations have been authorised by the English T'n.ion for .adoption by this Union. Thev have boon adopted, nnd are to be brouglit into force forthwith by nil affiliated T'ninns :- — La.w : After the words "equal time for each in-goal" insert the following:—"Tho period o.f piny shall be divided into two or four equal spells." Law 2: To the end of definition of "fair catch.' 'add the words "or by calling out 'mark'." La.w 12: Sub-section fa) to read: "Throwing it out so as to .alight nt right angles to and at least 5 yards from the touch line or ..." ft is prnefcieallv certain that the amendments will be .agreed to at the next mooting of the Horowhenin Rugby Union (to-night). HI'GBY ROUGHS. THE LATEST CASK IX WELLINGTON. Commenting (previous to last week's meeting of the. Now Zealand Rugby Union) on the case of the .Melrose man who was lined in the S.M. Court, Wellington, for having assaulted a St. James Club player, 'Touohli.no" remarked as follows iu tho latest issue of the "Wellington I'Ycelanee: The Management Committee of the Wellington .Rugby Union have made themselves famous, .and at the present .time the whole football world of the dominion is talking ah-out the ridiculous sentence passed by the.ni at their meeting last Wednesday night on a player lor deliberately striking another. There have liooii some stupid things done in a judicial capacity by Rugby Unions in the past, bub T doubt very an noli if the preseiilt instance isn't the stupidest. To my mind this was the worst instance of the "Rugby "Rough" that has occurred in connection with the playing of the game in Wellington, yet a sentence of four weeks' .suspension is considered sufficient to meet the wise by the united wisdom of tho Management Committee of the Rugby Union. For tho time being the individual members of the committee must have, forgotten tho seriousness of the matter. Let me detail the circumstances of the ease. During the progress of the St. James Melrose senioi match, at the Lower Hutt, two of the opposing three-quartons had exchanged some words with one another. _ After the conclusion of tho .play, just as the players wore entering the dressing-rooms, the Melrose man deliberately punched his St. James opponent, and as the result of the blow the latter struck his head against one of the studs of the dressing-room. He was stunned, and it was over a quarter-of-aii-hoiM boii'ore ho recovered consciousness, and lie had to remain in the Lower Hutt until the Tuesday following tilio match ore lie could return to town. The oa.se was brought before ■ the Court, and the assailant was fined £1 .and cos<fs. It was. not a blow struck in the boat of the moment, for tho playei in question had had plenty of time to cool down after the words had boon exchanged on the field of play. 1 have never heard of anything more deliberately done in my connection with the Rugby game, and yet the majority of the- brainy men on the Management Committee considered a suspension For four weeks sufficient' to moot the case. In my opinion diisqiialifioatlion. for life would no;t have, been more than the circumstances of the case demanded, and 1 trust 'Hie New Zealand Rugby Union : will see to it that a judgment more < in keeping with the seriousness of : the offence is meted out. i We have been wont ito piuxlo our- ' selves on the manly manner in 1 which the game has been pla,yed in ' Wellington of recant years. * But, i unless the first semblance of rough ; play as put down with a finm hand, i it may again become the fashion, to ; see the "Rugby Rough" paraded i every week before tho public of 1 Wellington. Anything in the. nafc- 1 lire of rough or foul play should be i checked by the convening body otf 1 tho game, and if a man loses his i temper and strikes .an opponent during the progress of a match or as the result of Jiis taking part in a game of foothall, he is hotter out ' of the game than in it. This latest

decision of the Management Committee rail not l)o said l to be in, the direction of putting down foul play. And it is not oven consistent with, previous decisions of tho same coinmibtee on cases not nearly so serious as tho one under review." ft in satisfactory to note that the Now Zealand Rugby [Tiiion unanimously resolved to increase 'the term o-f disqualification to two years.