RULES OF RUGBY

Hokitika Guardian, 20 March 1931, Page 5

RULES OF RUGBY

SERIOUS FAULTS FOUND IN MODERN SYSTEM. CRI TICS PERTC RBED. For some time past Rugby administrators througnout the world have been alive to the fact that it is urgently necessary for the good of the game to return to legitimate rules. Modern scrummages more resemble a bear fight than a game, and the trouble has been caused by an instruction From the International Board that tue bull must be placed in the serum, a ruling which in not to be found in the rule book. An article by Percy Rudd in a recent issue of the London "NewsChronicle" entitled ‘‘What’s Wrong with Rugby Football?” lias aroused lively interest in England, and has drawn opinions from famous figures in the Rugby game. WAKEFIELD’S VIEWS.

“Rugby football is not under a cloud and there is really nothing wrong with tile game,” was the new expressed by \\ . W. Wakefield, who lias played 31 times for England and was captain of the English team in the famous match against the All Blacks at Twickenham on January 3, 1925. “If we have had some dull internationals recently j our club matches are all right. I’ve refereed many this season, and generally things have gone as smoothly as a marriage bell.

“A lot of nonsense is being talked and written just now about the wingforward being a menace to the game. He’s nothing of the sort.

“The whole trouble in those dull and dreary internationals has been, in my opinion, due to the instruction of the International Board that the ball should be ‘placed’ in the scrum and not thrown in. (Thifi is an instruction only and is not in the rule book).

R EDR A FT ING NEE DED. “Putting the ball info the scrum slowly inevitably leads to slow heeling with the result that, when the ball does come out, the scrum half is smothered before he can get it away. “That is what happened in the last two international matches at Twickenham, and people have been blaming the wing-forward in consequence. “I agree with Mr Rudd that the rule which governs hooking needs redrafting. It is a mathematical impossibility to fitly when the ball has passed both feet, of the outside men. The ball is really fairly in the scrun'i as soon as it is in the tunnel. “As a referee, the chief thing I concern myself about is to see that the middle man of the front row on either side does not cross his feet with those of his opposite player before the ball is in.

“If the ball is thrown in hard and the outside man follows it in with his foot, the result is a quick heel and then no wing-forward or scrum-half cm earth can prevent the hall being got away to the backs. TASK OF FEW MINUTES. “If I were refereeing an international match I should stand by the rule book and advise the sc-ruin half to throw the ball into the scrum as hard us he could. “This question of how to get the ball into the scrum is best determined by forwards and scrum halves. When three-quarters start fiddling with it they only make things wor«e. I could draft a rule in a few minutes which J would guarantee to work satisfactorily. “I am definitely against any alteration of the law which would restrict the opportunities of wing forwards. If you made them keep on their own side of the scrum until the ball is out yon would be encouraging slow and slovenly heeling, and surely we don’t want to do that.” ETERNAL SCRUM TROUBLE. “I heartily agree with Mr Rudd that the laws are at fault, and a considerable improvement could be made by forbidding the middle men of the front row in the scrum from using his near foot,” was the opinion expressed by R. C'ove-Smith. who has made 29 appearances for England. “As I first played the game we always used the far loot, and uei e consequently better able to ‘hook, instead of merely jabbing at the ball with the near foot, Q s is done so frequently nowadays. “It seems to me that the days of the wing-forward is over, and that the obstructionist now reigns supreme.

“There is too much dependence on the idea that a wing-forward is there to ‘look after’ bis own scrum half. The only way he can do this is by obstruction. “Our aim should be concentrated on constructive tactics and enterprising play; not upon illegal and dismal methods of defence.”