TINKERING WITH RULES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 653, 3 May 1929, Page 7

TINKERING WITH RULES

PRESSING RUGBY PROBLEM N.Z. UNION’S DILEMMA VISIT OF BRITISH TEAM Some of the happenings in Rugby administrative circles lately suggest that the present Management Committee of the N.Z.R.U. does not enjoy the confidence of the subsidiary unions.. Strong criticism of the earliness of the tour to New South Wales is being voiced, while the proposal to alter the rules in view of the British team's visit is sure to arouse vigorous opposition. AUCKLAND’S attitude to the foolish ““ tinkering suggested will be defined at the special meeting to be held next week. Few will be surprised if the local verdict is not. wholly against the proposed temporary change. Though it is an unfortunate feature of the pending British tour that New Zealand and New South Wales will have to alter their rules to play under the international rules sanctioned for such engagements, it appears unreasonable to get hysterical at this stage. ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE The print | al change to which players will have to accustom themselves is the old kick-into-touch rule. In matches with the British team the New Zealand rule will have to be shelved, and the ball may be booted out from any part of the field. If the Home unions were to adopt the sporting viewpoint they would say. “We will do in Rome as the Romans do." In other words, as guests, they would graciously conform to the customs of their hosts. A reasonable view such as this might be expected from the Lnglish and Welsh Unions, but not from the Scottish and Irish Unions, both pillars of conservatism, and it is therefore impossible to hope for anything of the kind. The difference, however, will rot be so much that New Zealand need become timorous. If we can’t beat the British team under this mild handicap we shall not deserve to beat it at all. Moreover, George Nepia showed in the Maori match against New South Wales last season that a good punt can adapt himself to any conditions. If Nepia is New Zealand’s fullback next ■year—and there is ample reason to suppose that he will be—New Zealand won’t need to worry about being outkicked by the visitors, and if our backs show a tendency to keep the ball in play, instead of playing for safety, | then so much the better from the on-

Jokers’point of view', and so much the better if the All Blacks are fit enough and fast enough to take advantage of the openings that will develop from that practice. RIDICULOUS

Frankly, the suggestion that New Zealand should abandon for two years all its inclination to the open game, just because of this tour, is ridiculous, and just another of the hysterical lapses to which the New Zealand union has in recent years been altogether too prone. The writer is not under-estimating the strength of the British team. The provisional selection is very strong, stronger than can be realised unless a very close study of recent Rugby results at Home has been made. It will probably weld into a team little inferior to the 1921 Springboks. But there is no reason for retreating from the position we have taken up concerning the excellent innovations made by New South Wales and New Zealand to the principles of the game. Time enough to talk about altering: the rules when the trial matches are held next season: certainly not till then. And ordinary club games should be in no way affected. There is much more reason to be concerned about the dearth of promising inside backs, men of the Cooke class, not just fair interprovincial men. The selectors this year will have to divine men of promise, not men who fad© away, like some of those picked lately. Incidentally, it is by no means certain that the Selection Committee has been strengthened. It has lost a good man in Alec Guy, former Taranaki forward, and a good one at that.

Criticism has been levelled at the methods adopted concerning the New South Wales tour. The team is certainly going over too early, but it will be found that not many of the 1928 All Blacks will be available, and that many of those taken will be younger players. J.G.M.