FOOTBALL

Hokitika Guardian, 1 December 1921, Page 4

FOOTBALL

KICK-INTO-TOUCH RULE. j NEW ZEALAND GRANTED A j " DISPENSATION. J [ LONDON, Oct. 14. !

Followers of Rugby football will have already received word by cable that a dispensation has been sanctioned to New Zealand and New South Wales in the mutter of the kick-into-touch rule. The question came up at the Rugby Football Union committee last week, and the letter from the New Zealand Union was considered. Mr C. .1. Wray, who was recently olccted as the Dominion representative on the English committee, has doubtless reflected the insistence of the New Zealand Union both- privately and at various meetings he has attended, and the outcome has been that the members of the committee have at last faced the situation seriously.

At the meeting last, week Mr Wray was called upon to explain the proposal set out in the letter from the president of the New Zealand Union, lie said that he could add very little to what his president had written, but that he wished to lay stress upon the fact that every word in the letter was written in the most loyal spirit, and genuine anxiety for the welfare of Rugby football. He would move formally that the rule should be altered in terms of the proposal contained in the letter. There was no doubt, he said that the position in New Zealand was very serious indeed, and that by standing loyally lo the mother union the New Zealand Union had arrived at a point where thev were in some need of sympathetic assistance. He assured the meeting that the proposal to alter the rule was not made with any idea ol coercion, or of foisting a rule on the Home Unions just because it suited New Zealand and New South Wales. In New Zealand they simply could not see what else they could do. He felt personally that it was rather much to ask lor Ihe change unless the proposal commended itself to players in this country and in Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Dr L. (I. Brown, the New South Wales representative on the committee, who is one of the most prominent active forwards in England, supported Mr Wray, speaking very convincingly from the players’ ixiint of view.

The president of the English Union, in replying, said that the Executive Committee had already given the matter their consideration, and had come to the conclusion that they would recommend the Rugby Football Union Committee to giro the New Zealand Union and the New South Wales Union power to sanction the modified kick-into-toueh rule being played, lie hoped that Mr Wray and Dr Brown would be satisfied with this in the meantime, and not piess for the alteration ol the rule pist non. as it aas a difficult and delicate matter for them to decide. He was not. giving away any secret, however, by saying that some of those with w hom he had discussed the matter were in favour of amending the rule. Mr Rowland Hill said that the Rugby Football Union had always had the desire very near to their hearts to have the one code of laws wherever the game of Rugby was played. The Executive Committee were very much struck with the proposal put forward by New Zealand, and they were prepared to grant New Zealand and New South Wales the dispensation asked lor. They were in ill'll in doubt ns to how it would work out in this country, but they would be in a l.eticr position next February t»

decide u bother the game would he the heller ior the aheialion. There would I hen, he said, he plenty of l ime to bring it before the annual meeting, and to decide whether the modified rule -houhl he adopted. Dr Drown was unanimously elected a member rf Hie Laws Sub-committee. FLIRTING WITH NORTHERN FMON RULER. E. !!. I). 50w,41, a sporting writer, v. ho l as the unique distinction in London journalism of writing under his ii.mi name, has something to say of the dispensation granted to New Zealand and No a South Wales. He had heell lo -eo the Noilhern Union game between England and Australia at Highbury this week. “I went In the game veiy keen to wit lies tlie winking of the kiek-into-toiich i lili'.” lie writes in the "Daily Chronicle.’' "On this showing it is a iauishaekle affair, the main result of which is to cause a lot ol profitless galloping about, with here and there a clinking, good kick that finds a •legal' loueli, ami looks sometimes suspiciously like an awful lluke.”

"For two tears past the Auckland Rugbv Union have played a inotlilica lion ol litis rule, applying it only to players standing between the two I .veiny-lives. Last week the Rngbt Union, on the application of the New Zealand Rugby Union, have forgiven ;he Auckland Rugby Union for this vitilitig of the painter,’ and have allowed! he rule to he played in New Zealand and New South Wales. But, il New Zealand is the 'home ol Rugby, Hint it. professes to he, il will return to i;s senses and the Rugby Union rule as lo kicking into touch in due

RUGBY CONTROL IN NEW ZEALAND. WANGANUI. Nov. 28. The Management Committee of the Wanganui Rugby Union, at a meeting; held to-night, agreed to the piinciple ol Mr McLeod’s scheme for Rugby control in the Dominion.

AUSTRALIAN’S WIN

UDITUU.) > V ANI) N.Z. CAIII.R ASSOCI ATION I,ON DON, Nov. HO. At League lootlmll. the Australians heat Lancashire by 10 to (L