Union Should Formulate Policy On Illegal Play

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28524, 1 March 1958, Page 5

Union Should Formulate Policy On Illegal Play

■ JN the last two years frequen mention has been made or this page of the need for th( Canterbury Rugby Union to im pose stricter penalties againsi those who are ordered off foi misconduct. It was heartening to see the referees last year enforcing this law by ordering players from the field and to set the union’s management commit • tee giving weight to the referees . decisions by standing player! ( down for a period. . But in all except one instance last year the penalties were tot light. If players were to know before the season began that « minimum penalty for being or- • dered off for misconduct or fou] play was to be possibly three playing Saturdays for grade players and two Saturdays foi under-age and under-weighl players, with heavier penalties ii the offences were more serious, then many players would think twice before indulging in unsportsmanlike play. Concerned about the prevalence of unfair and dirty play in. rhe game, the International Rugby Board recently legislated to give

; greater power to referees and redrafted the law on foul play and misconduct. But although the referee has acquired greater power than hitherto, that power will count for little unless the individual unions back up the referees’ decisions to the full and they can best do that by imposing penalties which will act as a deterrent to others. If the players know from the outset that they will be stood down from playing for a considerable mini- , mum period, then rough and illegal play will, to a large extent, disappear. Strong Line Under the law, the referee has 1 the,power to order a player off I the field for a first offence. If a 1 strong line is to be taken on this ' matter, the referees should disregard the optional penalty of a caution and a free kick. If a referee sees a ■ player deliberately and wilfully offend against this law, he should order him off the field. There should be no