FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 385, 10 May 1910, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

(By Spectator.) ALTERATION",* JN THE RULES. Footballers will need to make themselves familiar with the following amendments in the rules of the game, as approved by the International Board •and adopted' by the English Rugby Union. A taekle is defined as ,wheu the holder of 'the ball is hold by one or more players oi the opposite side, so that he (cannot pass it. if the ball pitch in touch a kick-oft' the opposite side may have it kicked off again, or may have a scrummage at the centre of the field of play. If the ball go into touch from a "drop-out, the opposite side has the option of ordering another kick or having a scrum in tihe centre of the twenty-five yard line. The rule holds only' when the ball goes straight into touch, and not when it bounces out, The ball may not be picked up when, after a player has been tackled, he puts the ball down, or when the player holding the ball has been thrown and the ball touches the ground. There is an important change in the rule dealing with the putting of the ball into touch. In if a player carry the ball into touch, it shali then belong to the side opposite to the last touching it in the field ;of play, except when a player carrying a ball is forced into touch by an opponent. The referees decided that a man is not f°r«ed. into touch unless he is actually tOUehed by an opponent. The referee under ;iii amended rule is allowed to award a goal, if he reckon a goal would have been scored, but for illegal obstruction. In the case of ''no charge," the referee may either allow another kick, or, if he thinks the first kick would have been successful, award a goal. The new rule applies only to placed kicks and not to dropped kicks from the field during play. There ,are also one or two minor alterations. Several of the most vital amendments, as for instance that affecting wing-forward play, have not been adopted.

OUR AMERICAN 1 " VISITORS.

The American game of football, which has recently given way to Rugby, had a terrible reputation for roughness. Men who played it had to be almost ar-mor-clad. Many of these same players, no dou'bt, play the Rugby game, and will tbe included in the American team to visit Australasia this year. There w'.Y. naturally be mur.h curiosity in Xew Zealand about the calibre of the Oalifornkn converts to Rughy. Hence some references, extracted from Outing, should be acceptable. "The game ,as .played is not strict English Rugby," states a professor of the University of California. "It is more of the Australian type, but has gone even beyond them in the character of the tackling. The spirit of the old game, which, of course, had been played by all the members of the teams in thenhigh school days, still remains with them, iso that the playing is much rougher and more Violent than in the case of the English game."

A professor of Leland Stanford University says: "Spectators seem to prefer Rugby ,to the old game. . . .

We have at present no less bruises, cats, sprains, and dislocations than in the oi/i game. I say ( at present' because I think the injured list will grow smaller each year. We still have much unnecessary tackling and holding to the ball brought over by men schooled in the old game. In addition, the men wear the regulation Rugby costume (with no padding), and play on very hard fields, usually of dirt. We have had. however, no cases ot \knock out' from concussion of the brain or spine—a form of injury common in past years."

It seems that Xew Zealanders and Australians will ,be meeting hard tacklers. The team is to play five matches in Xew Zealand in the latter half of Julv.

McLeod, the Wanganui representative five-eighths, who played so well for Wanganui against Taranaki last season, is

playing for Waimate this season. W. Hardham, V.C.. who has been playing for Petone for something' like 14 years, has made up his mind (to retire from the game, and tHie suburban residents are initiating a movement for the purpose of recognising his services to the Rugby game in their district. Hardham was*a member of what is still known in Dunedin as the "Butchers'" team, which defeated Canterbury. Southland and Otago in succession, under tine leadership of "Off-side" McKenzie, as far back as 18D7. Without being a brilliant player, Hardham has achieved great distinction on'the Rugby field, and his generalship was no small factor in the success which has followed Petone on very many occasions in the championship competitions. Eighty-two teams are playing this season under the jurisdiction of the Wellington Rugby Football Union (ex- ] elusive of school teams); last year the j number was 70.

They say that the mttc'h-abused ,wingfor ward had a lot to do with England winning the' Rugby championship of the British Isles during the season just closed.

One of the many rumors is that A. F. Harding, the ex-Welsh international, is going to play for Petone. Color is lent to the statement by the fact 'that Harding is now attached to the clerical staff o- Messrs Wilford and Levi, solicitors, the first-named being one of tlhe suburban club's most enthusiastic supporters. Waimate is said to have a powerful senior team this season, the forwards being considered heavier than in any previous team. The other day a trial game was played, senior backs and junior forwards versus senior forwards and junior backs. The game resulted an a draw, each side kicking a goal*from the field.

Ex-rep. "Major" Bourkc is donning "Waimate's color., this season, after a. brief retirement. It is also said that I "Soot" McKay will again take,his place amongst the forwards of the same team. There was some big scoring in me •Canterbury Rugby Union's fixtures at Christchurch recently. The record for the day was in the fifth grade, where Waltham beat Eastern B. by 08 to nil. Merivale .put up 47 points to nil in their match against Maris*. Brothers. In the President's Cup competition, Christchurch A defeated Old Boys 'by 39 to nil. and Boys' High School beat Merivale B by 39 to 3. Several scores of over 20 points were made. The Australian game is being .played in jChristchurch, and the Dunedin enthusiasts have also been successful in securing a couple of grounds.