THE RUGBY GAME.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 229, 24 September 1908, Page 5

THE RUGBY GAME.

PEOPOSED nrpßovKVTEvrs. COVFKR.rNTK Of DELEGATES. Hie management committee of the Auckland Rugby Union, at its meeting last night, devoted practically the whole of the evening to the consideration of the I proposed amendments to the rules oi the! j Eugby game which the Otago Union is placing before the meeting of the Council of the New Zealand Rugby Union at j Wellington on October Bth. when deleI gates from a 3 parts of the Dominion will • Ibe in attendance. > I Before dealing- with the proposal?, the j secretary read the following letter from ' j the committee oi the N.Z.B-U. in eonnee- \ ; tion therewith: — ! "In v-ie-n- of the far-reaching nature of i i some of the proposals appearing on the! ; order paper for the special general meeting I jon the Bth pro:s_. the committee desires to ! i place tie following position before affiliated ' unions- — " i "At the annual meeting held on May l-»tb ' Otago Cnion. That the affiliated unions \ (and the Refere«s Association) be requested to submit to The Management Committee ; I suggestions for the improvement of the j 1 game, within two months, and that the pro- i posals of the Management Committee on ! these suggestions be forwarded to The Enp- I Ush Bcgby Cnion. a≤ soon as convenient, I with a request Thar they be deait with Se ' fort? next sf-asoc.' Acting under these ; direction:-. The committee invited sug?f<= I Neiv Referees' Association. A. ' number of suggestions were received and i ; considered l>y the committee, and the Man- ! agement Committee's proDcrsais or. these ■ : English Rucdv Union for submission to the ! International Board. The proposals w?re i 1 also discussed wiTh Mr Harnert. irto cader- ' toot iwith one exception! to snpport the! , SD£2ested amendments when beiore the! I English Union. Ir mnst also be borne ia' mind taai. in conjunction with Xe-w South 1 : Wales. and South African. I ; Cuious. your committee made repre- ■ ' senta-tiou to the English Union with regard j : to the various colonial unions being accord-1 J e<l representation on the LnternatioaaJ I j Board, v.-hea matters aifectins the laws of ; . the sLme are index cocsideration. V"p I have every reasou ro believe that this i ! posai -will hare the support of the English' I Union. "In -rie-v of The fact that the resolution ■ carried at the annual meerJns has beea i given effect ro. ynnr i-ommittee is strougly ' I of opinion that clause 3 of the Otago HngbT FootiMLil lijnn's suf^sestioiis is ; The logirnl airirnde is ro await the outcome ' j of the consideration of the union's proposals ib? the International Board before ev*u .lis-' ! ccssing: 'ie advisability of severance from ■ the union of the Mother Conntrj. With regard ro proposal X<v 4. vonr I coiiaiitTee is unanimously opposed thereto. I and is of opinion that a regulation of this ' nature wonM undoubtedly be the first step i towards professionalism. In this connection H tcav be pointed run that tie funds of the j various nai'ins is the Dotninior; ar» • ' uu.ised in The support and (-nconxa?Piiiert ( iof rxirhaii the lower srades. and in thf ; majority of i-nses available funds are— ' even .-auditions—not soffi- . i ci r -t-r for the letnasds "nde "poc then 3." [ Tap m v. turn Mr Harcott i? ' rPDorTfld to he opposed, and which he de- ' I ri:cf= to j -mr:iw he for* rhe English Union. ; lis un» :n mice "be tnork-on m!e appli"- ---: ab'.o if the player wlio knoeks-on matches the ' I bail agair. hef.-.r» .'. rwrhe? rhe trroand- I ! Tbe .-iilrprinn at <wh a rule, he says, is I bound to lead to "poianag." i

l { AUCKLAND DELEGATES" ' LNSTRUCTiOyS. '

; The agenda paper prepared by the I Orego t. nioQ for the consideration oi j tue delegates to the conference, was i fujiv mLO by t,he Auckland com- ' n::tiee. ihe being taken seriarum. I The following pUticrni was then mapped 1 OL-i fnr ;ae Auekiajid delegates:— 1 1 bat rile time nas arrived when it is imperatively necessary "ha-t the rules oi Rjj;o,i should be amemiea. That -A-irh this end in view a committee be appointed to revise the rules iU Lhe direction of providing: i.ai For the aboiinon of the charge l in th» case of a free kick or kick at. goal. ,l-i For the throw in from touch bping jo r a distance of not less man. f-Jy. five raids. (,-' Tliai :n r he event of the hall landing in touch directly from the kick-off, or kick out, the ball to be piayed from :hat point, id i Fnr the abolition of the wingforward by making it illegal for am player to erj.-(S an imaginary line through the back ot :hi a j crura on his own side while the bail is in the scrum. For the reduction of the side to ; if) T!ia: the delegates be given a free ■ hand relative to proposal to modi- ' ty the advantage given to a side i which t>. , ui hes do.s-i. i g • For the referee placing the ball in , the ccnain in all 1 1 (hi That a goal from a mark or pen- | a'ty kick «ha;J count two points, i i \\) Thai a player l.'-ought to the I ground be allowpil to pass the j ha.',' evn though it has touched [ the ground, provided that it be done immediately. This means rhe dropping ox sections b and c oi clause 0. \ I Iji That the game bp played m feu ' ' speljs of 20 minute? each. ' i i 2—lα the note aiter thf i -.vords "considered a knock-on." ! aid "except in the rase of a : player knocking on. and regaining ! ! possession before tn« ball touches j :h.e ground." Del>?tp the words, j "or any player of either side"" in I r*.f.?TP-ncp to goa.l-k'< King. This allows of a, goal even though the ball touch a player lq its flight. ■ Delete that portion oi the rule . rrlaring to murks which states Char the catcher must claim a mark by making i mark with his ue«l. iii Law S—Add to section E: "IVben .i piaypr r>miung oebmd one of hU *:dp who has last played the ball." : m> Ld>v 1". ihar die kick at goal from a try .-.hail be unrestricted. id i That half time or no side shall ' be called until the Hall be out of i play.

PAYMENT OF PLAYEES.

The proposal "That xhe rules as to prcu-ssi<inaiisTa be revised in the direc- < "jon oi payir.g pavers, tor loss of time I -while touring with representative I teams." gave rise to considerable discus- ■ j aiou. ; Mr. Ohlson stated he was in- j I fjrmed that the executive intended to ' I ■■".sad nt fail by the old game and its / rinciples. He moved: — (a) Rule 2. I subsection ici. the addition of the j vccrds "except that an allowance not. exceeding 6s. per day may be granted to □embers of a representative team from j any union on tour outside its respec- I t.ve country or province, and to country | member? of representative teams taking I j part in represe.nt-ative matches necessi- , ' tatinj: absence from usual occupation for I a period exceeding , three days: ibi that. I pending the decision of the English Ru£- ' liy Union, the Xew Zealand Rugby L"n.- ! icn empowers all amlJated unions to gfve I effect to the foregoing clause." , ; Mx. Langford said the adoption of Mr. j f>hlsoa's reeonnnandstJonfl wonM result in etopping & lot of travelling, the cane 1 of i oo*ieil at present, m tfaece «■» too

i TTKjcii of it. They would be able to at-iy more at home under the Mw coni ditions and devote more tisie to the development of local footbalL iir. Sheehan.: "A great cha&ge has suddenly come about in this matter."' Mr. Oiison.: "Ifc is a compromise; we must do it." Continuing, be said th*t if the pJarrers assisted thean in the past. oftec a personal inconvenience and loss, it was no-w far them to do what little thej~ cx>n!d in return. A Member: "It is far better to speak straight-out and have it done openly t-iian by prirate subscription." The motions were then tmanioioualy zdopted. I It -was then decided to adopt the ""teago Union's proposal with reference to a meeting of the Council being held xto months hence, to confirm the resolii•ions of the conference to be held in Wellington next month, and also in re- ' gard to soliciting the support of the I I»JS.W. and Queensland Unions.