RUGBY REFEREES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 182, 26 March 1932, Page 5

RUGBY REFEREES

NO SIDE RULE TO BE " ' APPLIED AS FORMERLY f * * • " ■ T HOOKING IN SCRUM • * * ' » TIMARU, Friday. The annual conf erence of the New Zerilahd Rugby Referees' Association opened in Timaru to-day. Twenty associations were represented, the conf erence being presided' over by Mr D. McKenzie, of Wellington. A welcome was extended to delegat'es by repre'sentsLtives of the local association and tbe pf esident • of the Rugby ' Uriion. A lengthy discussion took place relative' to scrumriiage 'rule one, and it was decided: "That it be a reconimendation tb the New Ze'aland Rugby Uniori tbat if the ball is fairly iri the scrum, it may be hooked by a fourth foot and is then in play." Regarding sound of rio side, it was decided' to carry on as previbusly, accepting the provision -of sub^lattse of law 10. It was also decided to ask the New Ze'aland Rugby Uriion for a' definite rulirig as' tb whether referees riiust riot allow ariy player to leave tbe plriying enclosrir eat half t'i'me. A defriite . ruling of the New Zealand is also' to b'e' asked regatding* the ' replacement of irijured players. Iri the' course of a very lengthy address* 'tHe' chairmktt, referririg to the scrummage rules, said it wa's his bpinion' that the alter'a'tion of the rules was' not' meant to coinpel New Zealand to fall into line with the rest of the Rugby. playiri'g countries. He held the view that the practice in New

Zealand did not present itself to those advocatirig a change. All they were concerned ' about was the curing of a definite evil that had crept into the game in the British Isles.