IMPROVING AMATEUR RUGBY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 244, 12 October 1908, Page 6

IMPROVING AMATEUR RUGBY.

■■ ,i. -■■■ ■■ » ■ , •AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE. SOME RADICAL AMENDMENTS. "CUTTING THE PAINTER." SBr Telegraph.—own v'orres____eiK4 »v_!___N_TON, Thursday. A special meeting of members of the Council of the New Zealand Rugby Union was held in the Chamber of Commerce, Wellington, this evening. The meeting was convened upon the requisition of the Otago, Southland and Canterbury Unions, to consider the advisability of amending the laws of Rugby, with a view to the improvement of the rules of the game. The president of the New Zealand L'nion, Mr. G. F. C. Campbell, presided, _nd nearly 60 delegates were present, as fellows:—Auckland: Messrs. G. H. Dixon, R. H. Froude, F. J. Ohlson, M.J. -heahan, C. P. Stichbury; Buller: H. W. Kelly, A. Lynch, M. Scanlon; Bush Districts: P. Darley; Canterbury: W. G. Garrard, E. T. Harper, G. H. Mason, F. L. Murray, F. G. Wallburton; Hawke's Bay: W. J. McGrath, F. Laws, W. O'Connell, L. Sievers; Horowhenua: J. S. Fowler; Manawatu: A. M. Gibbons, F. l'irani; Marlborough: Bartlett, E. Hylton; Nelson: A. Campbell, H. Retching Nalder; Otago: R. M. Falconer, R. M. Isaacs, J. W. Wilson, J. Hutchison, A. LauTenson; Poverty Bay: G. Lusk, S. McK_nzie; South Canterbury: H. Amos, V\*. Drake, E. Wylie; Southland: J. Laugbton, H. W. Boyds; Taranaki: Cargill.: Wairarapa: A. B. Charters; Wangauui, H. F. Tilley; Wellington: W. Hardham, H. O. Hales, I. Meredith, F. Roberts, H. Roberts; West Coast: G. Clarke, A. E. Neilson, W. Perry. Mr. Hutchison (Otago) said that the Otago Union felt that events were not moving fast enough, and that was the reason why they had initiated the present conference. It was desired to bring into effect, alterations which were hoped for by the majority of the unions in New Zealand. (Hear, hear.) There was, he said, a strong feeling throughout New Zealand that the conditions of the game should be improved. He would be sorry to see any movement in favour of bettering the game lead to a divorce with the English Rugby Union, but he thought that they should cut the painter, and let the affiliation end, rather than be forced in a position of remaining as they were. All interested in the game would agree that they should go so far as to cut the painter, if necessary, in the endeavour to better the conditions of Rugby. He moved •'That in the opinion of this union, the time had arrived when it is imperatively necessary that the rules of Rugby football shoiild be amended." Mr. M. J. Sheaban (Auckland) said that he had great pleasure in seconding the motion, knowing as he did the trend of events. Five months ago at the annual meeting, the idea of a change had. not met with the support it deserved, but times bad changed in those five months. In Auckland last season they had five interprovincial matches, besides tne visit of the British and. two iuter-union games; of these, outside the British matches, only three the Auckland-Wellington, the AucklandGtago, and the Auckland-Taranaki games, had been up to anything like a good standard. They wanted to improve these conditions; they-had had an indication of what might happen. Fortunately it was not too late, they could still adopt a certain attitude and take time by the forelock, and so improve tho came that Rugby would still be the national pastime of the Dominion. In his opinion, they should amend the rules of Rugby football even at the cost of cutting themselves away from the parent body iv England. Mr. G. H. Dixon, chairman of the Management Committee, said that they might make some amendments, but he was very much averse, to any such drastic steps as those proposed by the Otago Union. Nothing unforeseen had occurred during the last season. He said it was only natural thai the professional footballers, who came back and found their tails cut off, should attempt to catch others in the trap. Was the New Zealand game unattractive? Had they not the glorious tour of the NX "All Blacks" in Great Britain to look back to? Was there anything unattractive or obsolete in the football played there? ("No, no.") And instead, of good sport, they were inclined xzto substitute a desire only to win; and, if the hoodwinking of a referee was necessary to secure a victory, it would be only regarded as a means to an end. All that was necessary in his opinion was the peri fection of the present rules, and their proper administration. He moved as an , amendment that the words "imperatively I necessary" be struck out of the original motion. j Mr. Lusk (Poverty Bay) said that footballhi Wellington last season had been of a very low standard. It was evident that the players would not alter, and that the referees would not alter, and he thought it high time the rules were altered for the better. Mr. Ohlson (Auckland) said he thought Otago's plea for amended laws v/as well grounded. He considered that the Rugby Union should have accepted the recommendations of the referees, since none knew better than they just how great the need was for alteration. The Referees' Association was of the opinion that the time had arrive, when there i should be a change, and their suggestions | he thought, should be given every consideration. Mr. V. Meredith (Wellington) support-' ed the amend__e_t. What guarantee had they, he asked, that where referees could keep control of the game now,, alterations would make the position more satisfactory? He thought there was much to be thankful for that the game had been kept as clean and free';a.s it had. Rugby,' in his opinion, was quite fast enough as it was, and to turn it into a spectacular and faster game, they could no longer confine it to amateurs, and would have to pay players to devote more time to training. He thought it #vould •be a great fall to cut the painter with the Old Country, a_d introduce a bastard j game into New Zealand, which would be recognised by no other country. I Mr. Isaacs (Otago) said that -while he j was agreeable to having certain amendI meats made, he would much rather prefer to see the Rugby game die than have any I introduction of the Northern Union rules. Mr. Mason (Canterbury) considered the game was absolutely in the hands of the players, and whatever happened, it would always remain with New Zealand footballers to keep up the fame of Rugby. The puWie was fickle, aud never satisfied, and he desired to see Rugby made more of a game and less of a business. Mr. Hutchison agreed to modify his resolution by substituting the word "advisable" for "imperative," and this was accepted by the Conference.

CHARGING FREE KICKS. & Mr. Hutchison moved: "That it is de- t sirable to abolish the charge in the case * of a free-kick or kick at goal." There 1( ■was an anomaly, he said, and he thought a free kick should be as free in reality * as in name. * Mr. Ohlson seconded the motion. * Mr. Lusk said that in doing away with the charge they were doing away with * a necessary factor in the education of a young footballer, since nothing steadied their nerves better than a good charge. . He moved as an amendment: "That the , charge should only be done away with in the case of a penalty kick." Mr. Laws seconded the amendment. Mr. Meredith objected to any alteration, on the ground that some players could kick goals all day, but when it came to a nerve test, in face of a charge, , there was a big difference. Mr. Sheahan said that it was absurd to call a kick a free kick, when a charge was allowed. Neither was there anything very heroic in a tall player touching a well-directed kick at goal and * spoiling it. fThe amendment was negatived, and the * resolution carried by 33 votes to 28. n TOUCH LINE PLAY. ] Mr. Wilson (Otago) moved, "That the fi throw-in from touch be not less than t five yards." This, he considered, would I do away with much of the scrumming li on the line. t The motion was carried. _ A motion by Mr. Hutchison, providing t for the imposition of a penalty in the p event of the ball landing directly in li touch, from the kick-out or kick-off, was a lost upon division. i< Mr. Mason attempted to negotiate an d amendment in favour of penalising the Is kick out of bounds, but this was lost li by an overwhelming majority. t WING-FORWARD TACTICS. t The next motion, moved in the name of the Otago Union, was a provision for *j the imposition of a penalty upon any player crossing an imaginary line drawn .? through the back of the scrummage, on , his own side, while the ball is in the scrum. • Mr. Ohlson said he would welcome any ~ rule which would prevent a wing-forward ' pursuing tactics which often tended to spoil a game. Referees would be glad . of such a rule as that proposed. Mr. H. Roberts said the wing-forward •» of to-day was an obstructionist, pure . and simple, and never failed to point upon the referee when he got the chance. . He was strongly against the wing- „ forward game. Mr. F. Roberts declared the proposal to be a farce, and utterly unworkable. Mr. Dixon thought the game .would be | slowed up if this rule was adopted, and . the half-back would become a mere passing machine, without resource. Mr Lusk said that Auckland was the best illustration they had of what hap- , peued with present day wing forward play. Teams which went there usually .. came back and said thej.had played "Gillett and 14 others." In referring to the genesis of the wing forward game, the chairman said that in l . 1379 heeling out tactics were adopted, ! and the -wing forward was then institut- ' ed to operate against the half-back. ' The motion was carried in its entirety. £ _XDl_____N MEN A-SHXE. \ A motion to reduce each side to 14 1 men met with scant courtesy, and waa . thrown out without discussion. " j OTKER IMPORTANT AMEND- < MENTS. A motion was carried making it compulsory for the referee placing the ball ' in all cases in the scrummage. 1 It was agreed to include a new rule ' that a player brought to the ground be ' allowed to pass the ball even though it 1 has touched the ground, provided that it ' be done immediately. ' Without discussion, it was resolved that a game be played in four spells of ' 20 minutes each, with an interval after ■< the second spell. 1 On the motion of Mr Hutchison, it ' was agreed "that it be an instruction to ' the Management Committee to forward a copy of the foregoing resolutions to i the New South Wales and Queensland i Rugby Unions, with the view to secur- * ing their co-operation." l FRAMING NEW RULES. ' Mr Hutchison (Otago) moved that ] the Auckland Management Committee be ' appointed to revise the rules, so as to ' include the above resolutions. I Mr Hales (Wellington) said the resolution was a pure "want of confidence" motion in the Management Committee ' of the New Zealand Rugby Union. Mr Ohlson said he thought the executive of the Union should have the framing of the new laws. The Auckland Committee did not want the work. After further discussion, the work was ' referred to the Management Committee. PAYING TOURING TEAMS. Mr Wilson (Otago) moved that the rules regarding professionalism be revised, in the direction of paying players for loss of time while touring with rep. teams. Mc said that there was no keener amateur than himself. He knew his motion would not go through, but he felt for the playeTS, and in the case of the working man, who was a devotee of the game, it was necessary that some such provision should be made. In Obago, they took £250 at the gate for an interprovincial match, and he thought the proposition a fair one. Mr H. Roberts said that Northern Union players had established the game all over New Zealand. There was no gainsaying that fact. ■ Then the question arose, What constitutes professionalism? He was satisfied that a mechanic leaving his work and going on a tour did not become a professional because he received compensation. Many years ago he was selected to go with the first team to leave for Australia,' and on that occasion he" had been allowed £ 10 for out-of-pocket expenses. That players should make sacrifices was all very well in theory, but did not work satisfactorily with many of the -players, who would be strongly tempted to go over to the Northern Union game. Messrs Cargill and Fowler both spoke of the aspect as it applied to the country unions, and said it would bs impossible for such unions to pay a sixpence. Mr Mason contended that, as soon as they commenced paying for loss of time that would be the death-knell of Rugby footba'l. Mr Ohlson said he would support the motion, because be thought it just. There were men playing the game who should not be asked to make sacrifices. He instanced the case of an Auckland touring team, which was anything but representative, for the simple reason'that three of the strongest men could not afford the sacrifice after returning from the All Black Australian tour. This, he considered, Avas an actual hardship. An- ; other instance was the case of a northern • player chosen as a representative who lost £15 in journeying to Auckland. He > moved an amendment that an allowance i of 6/ per day out-of-pocket expenses be allowed players on interprovincial tours i outside their own districts, and to coun- ■ try members absenting themselves from ■ their homes for a period of 72 hours. The Auckland Executive, he said, had never

countenanced payment of members, and there never had been a case in which i member had been paid, but he thought it time some change was made. Mr Sheahan seconded the amendment, _ nnd contended that the provision was a , just one. He knew the amendment would be lost, but he believed that the lay was not far distant when the change . would be made. The amendment and the motion were both lost by overwhelming majorities. * The conference sat until after 1 a_n. . discussing the business for which the, s delegates were called together.