RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5512, 11 December 1929, Page 4

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

OFF-SIDE AND OTHER LAWS. NEW RULINGS. The N.Z. Rugby Football Union has issued a circular containing a copy of the following letter from the Rugby 'Union, England to all Rugby Unions and the N.Z. Referees’ Association for the information of all concerned. The rulings have been agreed to by the N.Z. Rugby Union :— “Interpretation of Law 17.—Referees are reminded that the sole legislative power is vested in the Rugby Fostball Union, and they must control the game in accordance with the laws of that body. The attention of referees is drawn to Law 17. A player in the field of play is off-side in four cases and in four cases only : — 1. If he enters the scrummage from his opponents’ side. 2. If whilst the ball is in a scrummage he, not being in a scrummage, ‘remains’ in front of the ball. 3. If he stands in front of the lineout. 4. If the ball has been kicked or touched or is being carried by one of his own side behind him. “Note : When the ball is put down and played with the foot after a tackle the referee may construe this as a scrummage for the purpose of section 2 above. “A player is not off-side merely by reason of the fact that he is in front of the ball. The practice of treating such player as off-side must cease. “Very Important.—The attention of players and referees is drawn to Law 15 (b).' This law lays down that the ball is not fairly in the scrummage until it has passed both feet of a player- of each team. Any player who prevents the ball being fairly put into the scrummage by any of the following methods is guilty of an infringement of the law : (1) By touching the ball before it has reached the ground between the opposing players ; (2) being the outside man, by touching the ball as it goes in ; (3) being the middle man, by intercepting the ball before it has passed both feet of the outside man of each team.. “The infringement of this law has become so general that the position of a referee who tries to enforce it has become intolerable. “Apart from the fact that the' breach of this law has a deteriorating effect on forward play, it is contrary to the spirit of the game that players should deliberately set out to infringe the laws. The Rugby Union Committee hopes that all who value the traditions of the game will co-operate in putting an end to this evil, particularly those who are responsible for the conduct of football- at schools.

“Query by London Referees’ Society. Can a referee award a penalty try behind the posts if a player crossed his opponents’ goal-line, and! could have touched down behind the posts but for being deliberately tripped by an opponent ?—Answer : Yes. “Dead Ball Lines. In cases where dead-ball lines are not marked, referees should arrange with the captains of the respective teams as to how many yards behind the goal-lines the imaginary dead-ball line shall be deemed to be. The onus is on the captains to see that this is done. Failing this, the referee’s decision will be final, and appeals will not be entertained.