RUGBY PENALTY GOAL POINTS

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28952, 21 July 1959, Page 8

RUGBY PENALTY GOAL POINTS

Craven, U.K. Press Want Reduction (N.Z. Press Association —Copyrtpht) CAPE TOWN, July 20. At the International Rugby Board meeting to be held in New Zealand next month consideration would have to be given to increasing the value of a try, the president of the South African Rugby Union Board, Dr. Dame Craven, said in Stellenbosch last night. Dr. Craven was commenting on the first Rugby test at Dunedin on Saturday, in which New Zealand, with all its points coming from penalty goals, beat the British Isles, which scored four tries, a conversion and a penalty goal by 18 points to 17. He agreed it was now the time for the penalty goal to have its value in points reduced. He was in favour of penalty goal, field goal and conversion each counting as two points.

Alternatively, he suggested that the penalty kick at goal should only be allowed for foul play or obstruction and penalty try should be maintained. He said that when a field goal counted as four points many more attempts to drop-kick goals were taken than when it was reduced to only three points. It was perhaps a good thing that New Zealand had beaten the British Isles with penalty kicks, Mr’ Daan de Villiers, assistant manager of the Springbok team which toured Australia and New Zealand in 1956. said in a newspaper interview yesterday. This might have a good effect on relations between South Africa and New Zealand as Rugby playing countries, he said. “Grudge Since 1949” Mr de Villiers said New Zealand always had a bit of a grudge because South Africa in 1949 won the first test at Newlands, Cape Town, against the All Blacks by five penalty attacks by Okey Geffin. “Now they have won a test in the same way they probably feel just as bad about this state of affairs as we did in 1949,” he said. The two incidents might cancel each other out. Mr de Villiers wondered if the time had not arrived for the International Rugby Board to consider two points about penalty kicks.

First, he said, a penalty kick should Count for fewer points. He did not say this was being aimed at New Zealand, but because New Zealand and South Africa had now both won tests with penal* ties. Second, he felt a penalty kick at goal should only be taken with a drop kick. This would save the time usually taken when a place kick was aimed at the goal. British national newspapers continued to express amazement today at the British Isles’ defeat at Dunedin on Saturday. The "Daily Telegraph" called it the “most remarkable test match in living memory. “It will remain unique, for never before in representative Rugby has a side been so outplayed in all departments except goal kicking and won in spite of the fact that the opposition scored four tries,” it said. The newspaper said: “Obviously the standard of New Zealand refereeing will come in for considerable criticism after this match, following the unhappy 1956 series when the South African management complained officially that New Zealand referees were not good enough. “It will be an unhappy tour if the British Isles team suffers as it did in this match from refereein'g which, if unbiased, falls well short of test standards." The awards by the referee for three of the goals were clearly understood but the others would remain a mystery. “Referee Bewildering” The newspaper said that the referee bewildered the Lions with many of his decisions, particularly those in the closing 10 minutes which changed the whole course of the match.' “All honour to the Lions,” said "The Times, "they were so much the better side that New Zealand, even with the advantage of being one up with three to play, have the liveliest apprehensions of their chances in the series, “The Lions would not have been human if they had not been dissatisfied with A. L. Fleury, the referee.” it said. The “Daily Express" said the first test emphasised the need for a common understanding of the laws of Rugby and called for a conference with the New Zealand Rugby Union. It criticised Mr Fleury’s decisions. which, it said, had 40,000 New Zealanders cheering for the Lions. The "Manchester Guardian,” said defeat must seem unbearably cruel after such a fine display as that of the Lions. “But," this newspaper added in a leading article, “the facts remain that the object of Rugby union football is still to kick goals, whether they be from tries, drop-kicks in play, marks, or penalty kicks, tha' the British place-kicking was much inferior, and that, knowing in advance the ability of Mr D. B. Clarke, one gives him penalty kicks at one's own risk.” Return Bout.— The promoter Bill Rosensohn said in New York that he hoped to stage the return Ingemar Johansson-Floyd Patterson heavy-weight title fight in New York on September 22. New York, July 19.