ALTERATIONS TO RULES

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26399, 18 April 1951, Page 4

ALTERATIONS TO RULES

SCRUMS AND SLIDING TRIES „T*! e changes made by the International Football Board this year in the Rugby rules, were discussed by the CanSS? R “fby Football Referees' Association on Monday evening. The most important change in the rules is that governing scrummages. .^ ec £T di ? to' the new rule governing the actual hooking of the ball, the ball must be put into the scrummage again if “ *" ter ? and comes out of either end °* th® tunnel or if on its way out it passes between the feet of either of the outside players of each front row on the side on which the ball has been put in In other words, after the ball has been hooked, it must on its way out of the scrum pass behind the two feet of the outside player on the side the ball was R?* C 1;, I ? s ! year was Permissible for the ball to travel through the feet of th» outside player and through or behind the second-row players' feet. Section 1 of Rule 15 has also been al ‘« r « d considerably. The new rule states: While the ball is being put into the scrummage it is illegal for any player to raise either foot or advance a foot beyond the line of feet of his front row until the ball has' left the hands of the player putting it in, or for a foot of any P ,y e S,! n ~e lt, h er front row to touch the ball till it is fairly in." The line of feet, according to the rule, means the average line of feet of players facing each front row.

A MW paragraph has also been added A 1 ! 16 , action 1. This rule says that it is illegal to swing with both feet or raise both feet off the ground at the same time.

In an endeavour to prevent the collapsing of the scrummages, Rule 15 (c) makes it obligatory for firm and continuous binding by both the hooker and the two other front row forwards. The new rule says that three players shall form either front row of the scrummage before the ball is put in. "Players of each front row shall bind together firmly and continuously while the ball is in the scrum. The middle player shall so bind, with both arms over and round the backs and below the shoulders of the players on either side of him, and Outside players shall bind the middle player in like man ■ R® r f” Previously Rule 15 (c) only stated that it is illegal for more than three players to form either front row of the scrummage before the ball is put in." Sliding Try

According to the new rules a try can now be awarded a player who is tackled short of his opponents' touch-in-goal line and whose momentum carries him over the line, even though the ball has touched the ground in the field of play. Previously on such occasions a scrummage was ordered from the place of the tackle. This new rule is embodied in a new section to Rule 26 and states: "If the momentum of a player when held in possession of the ball carries him into his opponents’ in-goal area and he there

I™!”!, ba U. even though the bail has touched the ground in the field of play, a try shall be awarded." An alteration to the knock-on rule has also been made. The alteration is to Rule »4 (c). The new section states: “In the u Ihrnw forward or a knock-on -.wA 1 shaU be br °ught back to the place of infringement and a scrummage formed there unless the baU is knock.d on by a ?2 aj V, 'J' ho *• fo <he act of charging down the kick of an Opponent." Previously the rule for the knock-on applied, and in such an instance a scrummage would have been ordered.

An official of the association said yesterday that referees would be giving the new scrummage rule their closest attention this season. Any questions about this new rule would be answered by referees before the start of next Saturday's matches. ~