NOT ENTERTAINED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 509, 18 April 1933, Page 3

NOT ENTERTAINED

rugby appeal ENGLISH UNION TURNS DOWN APPLICATION FROM AUSTRALIA, • KICK INTO TOUCH RULE. Confirmation of a report that Australia's application to play the "amended kick-into-touch rule" had been turned down by the Rughy Football Union (England) was given in the tabling of lan official communication from the English Union's isecretary at last week's meeting of the management committee of th'e New South Wales Rughy Union. The amended rule required by Australian Unions was that which was introduced into New Zealand and Australian Rugby Football some years ago, hut which was subsequently banned by order of the Home auth-orities. The letter from the secretary of th'e English Union stated: — "Your appeal was most carefully considered, and Dr. G. L. Brown, your representative, urged that the dispensation be given. My committee, however, regretted the appeal could not be favourably received, and, although they realise th'e ■great difficulties you have to overcome, they sincerely hope that the conditions prevailing with the Australian unions will improve, and that the game as played by the four Home unions and the oDminions will continue to he played in Australia." iDiscussion on the letter, concerning which the management "committee made a recommendation, was taken in .committee, and no announcement was made in open meeting. It appeared, however, that the rule was regarded as being of vital importance to the future of the code, and that some line of action in meeting the position was contemplated. If the reported intention of the Queensland Rugby Union is correct, complications are likely to arise. It is stated that the ruling of the English body against the playing of rules other than those in vogue in Great Britain is not to be recognised in Queensland. Position in Brisbane. The Rugby officials there, it is reported, intended to - open the season in Brisbane early in March by reverting to the rules under which kicking into touch on the full is restricted to a player in his own twenty-five, these rules to apply in club and inter-city matche.s. Whether they would be adopted in the inter-state games was entirely a matter for the other States. The reply to Australia's request settles the second of three important matters recently placed before the English 'Rugby Union by affiliated unions overseas. As previously reported in The Post, South Africa's application for pla.yers to be permitted to leave the field at half-time, without the restriction imposed by the rules, was not successful, and now it is disclosed officially that Australia's request for the amended rule has been refused. These decisions are of particulax interest to New Zealand, but what is more important is the result of New Zealand's application for permission to replace injured players. On this matter no official announcement has been made by the New Zealand Rugby Union, although a report from another source stated that the application had received the approval of the English Union. Directly after that report, however, there was a denial from the secretary of th'e English Rugby Union. There can he little doubt that New Zealand's case for reP'lacements was considered at the isame meeting a.t which the English Union dealt with th'e requests from South Africa and Australia, and it is surprising that, with the start of a new seasop, almost at hand, no official announcement 'as to the result has been forthcoming. It is probable, of course, that the matter is still receiving consideration, and maybe it is a case of no news being good news.