RUGBY INTERPRETATIONS OF RULES

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28233, 22 March 1957, Page 12

RUGBY INTERPRETATIONS OF RULES

International Board’s Statement

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, March 20.

The International Rugby Board today announced its approval of the proposed New Zealand and Australian tour by the British Isles in 1959. The four Home Unions, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand were represerfted at a meeting last week-end which gave some rulings in reply to applications foi the interpretation of Rugby Union laws. The board said in a statement issued today that no alterations had been proposed for the laws of the game. The statement said: “An amendment was made to the By-law 3 of the board giving it power to amend the stated dispensations and thereupon to authorise Australia and New Zealand, or either of them, to play domestic matches in accordance with such amendments.

“Australia was authorised, for domestic matches only, to extend its existing Law 27 to the entire field of play as regards the ‘kicking into touch on the full’.” The statement continued: “The board decided not to offer objection to a proposal by Australia, to which New Zealand was agreeable, that the existing dispensation under Law 27 be applied in matches during the New Zealand tour of Australia in 1957.”

The dispensation to Law 27 concerns kicking to touch. In Australia kicking direct to touch, that is, without the ball first bouncing in the field of play, was formerly permitted in some parts of the field. Now the ball must first bounce in the field of play from any touch kicks between the two goal-lines. Penalty Kick Rule

On Law 24, dealing with a defender’s infringement during the taking of a penalty kick, the board emphasised that the kicker’s side could call for a scrum. It ruled that this should go down as near as practicable to the goalline, the defenders’ front-row being in the field of play. But if the goal had already been kicked, it should stand in spite of the offence.

On Lav/ 23 the board ruled that in»the case of a player taking a punt after a fair catch (a) he can be said to “draw back” only if he makeS some definite act of withdrawal and not a mere hesitation or feint, and (b) that play begins again only when the player kicks the ball or when the scrummage is formed at the mark.

This meant that when a player taking a kick after a “fair catch” had delayed so long that his opponents were on him, they were entitled to snatch the ball from his hands. The board ruled that this was wrong and that in such a case, where a player has not kicked the ball, the referee must award a scrummage at the mark where the free kick was awarded.

Team Picked To Play Wales

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, March 20. The international ' Rugby Union team, drawn from England, Scotland, and Ireland, to meet a Welsh fifteen at Cardiff on April 6 in aid of the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games fund is:—

P. J. Berkery (Ireland); A. R. Smith (Scotland), W. P. C. Davies (England)-, J. Butterfield (England), A. J. O’Reilly (Ireland); J. W. Kyle (Ireland), R. E. G. Jeeps (England); B. G. Wood (Ireland), E. Evans (England, captain), T. Elliot (Scotland), R. W. D. Marques (England), R. E. Reid (Ireland), A. R. Higgins (England), J. T. Green wod (Scotland), P. G. Robbins (England).

SUB-UNIONS’ OFFICERS

The following officers were elected at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Sub-Unions:—Chair-man. Mr F. J. Foley; vice-chairman. Mr S. Maxwell; honorary treasurer, Mr S. Maxwell; honorary secretary, Mr W. A. Hadlee; honorary auditors. Messrs Laurenson and Green; delegate to attend New Zealand Rugby Union meeting, Mr G. E. Rennie.

Papanui Old Boys’ Officers

The following officers were elected at the annual meeting of the Papanui High School Old Boys’ Rugby Club:—

Patron, Mr L. B. Newton; president. Mr J. W. Ditfort; club captaifi, Mr W. Meaclem; treasurer, Mr W. Ditfort; secretary, Mr R. J. Hanham; auditor, Mr N. Lane; committee, Messrs B. Percival, W. Meaclem, T. Washington, N. Gray, J. Whisker, and G. Elliott; delegates to C.R.F.U., Messrs- A. G. Elliott and J. W. Ditfort; delegate to Junior Advisory Board, Mr G. Blackburn.

Opening day was fixed for April 6.