NEW ZEALAND RUGBY FOOTBALL

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3652, 16 June 1927, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND RUGBY FOOTBALL

NEW RULES FUR 1927 SEASON. Last year the Rugby Football i Union, England, set up a sub-com-mittee to revise the Rules of the Game and bring them out in simpler form. These have now been received by the New Zealand Rugby Football Union, and several copies of the English handbook have ' been forwarded for information. In the new rules certain alterations have been made, which can be summarised as follows: — 1 Knock-on. —Any knock-on, howi ever slight, must be ruled a kuock--1 on, even if the player catches it again before it touches the ground. Tackle. —So long as there is a moment when the player in possession of the ball is held in such a way that he cannot pass or play it, that player is Then the ball must be put down at once, and ' any player wishing to play it must play it with the foot first before it can be handled. The penalty for not so doing in both cases is a free kick. Scrummage.—The ball must now be booked. If it is tapped out by the side where it was put in or kicked straight out the other side, the player doing so must be penalised. The ball is not in the scrummage if it goes right through. Before it can be hooked it must be past both feet of a front-ranker of both teams, be on the ground, and be midway between both sets of • hookers. The Referee has the power to order the hull to he put in from whatever side he chooses. No player must, after the scrummage lias been formed, wilfully add himself to the front rank so as to form more than three in that row until the bull has been put in. No player must, by speech or otherwise, indicate as to how or when the hall is being put in. Time. —In International matches spells are to be of forty minutes’ duration. Unions are not empowered to appoint timekeepers. Time or half-time may now be called. (a) When the hall goes into touch or touch-in-goal, i (b) After a tackle. (c) After a touch-down, or after 1 a kick at goal after a try. (d) After the whistle has been blown for an infringement of th« rules. The Referee has power to' stop the game before time has expired " if, in his opinion, the full* time cannot he played. Referee. —A Referee has power to allow extra time for delays. He lias power to appoint a substitute if he cannot officiate for the whole period of the game, provided the captains of the two teams cannot agree. He is not entitled to contract out of the rules of the game. He must not allow anyone but the players on the ground, except at his request. Players desiring to leave the field at half-time must get permission of the Referee. Touch-judges, Touch-judges must signal with their Hags when o goal is kicked. The Referee, however, lias the power to overrule any of their decisions. Players on the Ground.—A player who is lying on the ground with the ball in his possession must be penalised unless he gets up at once or rolls away from the ball. Otherwise lie may, while lying on the ground, pass or kick the ball. A player who lias been tackled and is lying v on the ground may play the ball with his foot. The circular letter to Unions, dated May 2nd, 1927, is now withdrawn, a reply having been received to our cable to London, which reads:— (1) “A pi a yer who is lying on the ground reaches out and gets possession of the ball. Does Law- 20 prevent him immediately passing or kicking the ball without getting up ? (2) “A player on both knees is in possession of the ball. Can lie go forward whilst in that position with the ball still in his possession?” The answer to the first question is NO; second question YES, jiaving due regard to Laws l(i and 20. Advantage Rule.—The Advantage Rule does not apply:— (a) At a kick-off or drop-out. (b) When the ball is not thrown in straight at a line-out. [(.■) When free-kicks or penaltylacks are being- taken, and the Titles are broken. Kicking a Goal. —When a player is kicking at goal from a mark or try, he must not handle the ball when it is on the ground, nor must he touch it again after it has been placed on the ground. If he does so, the kick is forfeited. In the case of penalty-kicks, “passive” is now defined as standing with his hands by his side and not attempting to put the kicker off his kick. Touch-line Flags,—The touchline flags are no longer considered part of the post, and the player is not put into touch by touching the flag only.