RUGBY RULES

Hokitika Guardian, 12 May 1931, Page 2

RUGBY RULES

NO NOTIFICATION. ATTITUDE OF ENGLISH UNION. WELLINGTON, May tr. Time and again the English Rugby Union has failed to notify the New Zealand Union of important decisions affecting the rules of the game. At this week’s meeting of the New Zealand management committee, the Referees’ Association suggested that a law should be included to the effect that a player placing the ball in the scrummage might indicate when the ball was going in. When the suggestion was read, Mr S. S. Dean said that he understood that that was the law in England, although New Zealand had not been notified of it. When the British team played its first match in Wanganui, he said, he had noticed Sobey, the scrum half, calling • out where and when the ball was coming into the scrummage. He had mentioned it to Mr Baxter, and had befen informed that that Was the law as played ini England. Mr Buxtfer had agreed that New Zealand should have bden notified, “Especially because they had a great deal of criticism to make of our players when they did it on the 1924 tour, , Mr Dean added Mr Baxter had said that the law had oeen changed since that year. One member suggested that the New Zealand representative on the 11 ugby Football Union,. Mr Cecil Wray should be • asked .to make ■ representations 'jp the IHome body that all alteration and decisions concerning rules should be notified to New,Zealand immediately. Mr Dean replied that the matter had been brought to Mr Wray’s attention when he was in New Zealand recently, and he promised to see what he could do. Mr Baxter had also promised that decisions would be notified to New Zealand.

Finally a resolution -was passed again drawing the Rugby Footba” Union’s attention to the fact that it's latest decisions, and those of the Internationa] Board, on the laws of the game, were not sent >out to New Zealand. ' A copy of the it was; decided > should. ; be sent to-' Mr; Wray ancF to Mr Baxter. !■' 1