N.Z. RUCKING LAWS REMAIN UNCHANGED

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28866, 10 April 1959, Page 12

N.Z. RUCKING LAWS REMAIN UNCHANGED

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON. April 9. Delegates attending the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union today unanimously agreed that the laws relating to rucking in New Zealand have not been altered. This decision was arrived at only after an hour and a half of debate on reported statements on New Zealand rucking procedure made at the referees’ conference recently.

The text of the resolution approved by 96 delegates was: “That in view of recent publicity given to rucking in Rugby football this general meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union confirms that th sire has been no alteration in the lews affecting this phase of play. “This meeting further agrees that all unions be circularised by the New Zealand Union that referees, coaches and players should pay closer attention to law 16, governing the tackle, and law 17, governing lying on the ball, and that the referees’ attention should be drawn to the rule which prohibits a player from entering a scrummage on his opponents’ side.”

Mr T. H. Pearce, who yesterday protested vigorously against any move to alter New Zealand’s rucking procedure, was even more eloquent today.

“The newspaper reports said that rucking was out. If that was not so and rucking was not out, why was this position not clarified immediately?” he asked. "No such report was made and the result is confusion.

“There is a grave responsibility on you delegates to relieve this confusion. The position is the same as always. Nothing has been

done to alter the situation. When are the complaints that we havi been wrong in the past? We hai numerous complaints from Dr Craven when he was out here or many things, but never on this “When the South Africans wen here we hit them with everything Now because the Lions are com .ing are we to be shilly shallyinj around the place? We should shov in play against the Lions the sam determination that we showec against the Springboks,*’ he said ,„J jater Mr Pe arce said that ii 1930 when the British Isles hac i left * New Zealand had been toll that some aspects of its play wen not right “We did a back flip,” said Mr Pearce. “Now it appears that wr are going to do a triple somer sault before they arrive. I tel ■ you that if we go away from thii meeting without making a state • ment on the issue not only wil we be the laughing stock of New Zealand but we will be letting down thousands of players whd are looking to us for guidance.”!