RUGBY Obstruction Condemned, “Whole Thing Rotten”

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29803, 21 April 1962, Page 18

RUGBY Obstruction Condemned, “Whole Thing Rotten”

(New Zealand Press Association)

HAMILTON, April 20. ] Illegal obstruction was a source of aggravation which often led to displays of bad temper, said Mr C. H. Williams (Wellington) at the annual conference of the Rugby Referees’ Association at Hamilton today. For that reason, said Mr Williams. referees should know the laws pertaining, understand the kind of incidents which aggravate, and act as uniformly as possible in eliminating them by strict enforcement. “This, and no less, the laws and their notes insist upon," he said. "There is no joy when the referee glosses over irregularities because he is weak enough to think that they are simply part of the game or inevitably part of human nature which cannot be corrected or contained.” Vigilance Necessary A referee should be at all times vigilant against these illegalities. "It is extremely important that he realise that because there must be many things that he does not, or cannot see, his attention to what he does see should be firm, without fear or favour, but tempered with common sense.”

A' past president of the association, Mr C. G. Wallace (Waikato), said forms of obstruction were practised even by college teams. At ■Waikato’s College Day last season he saw a boy blatantly late tackle when the referee had turned his back and was following the ball. "The boy ivas very nearly

cut in half,” said Mr Wallace. "I do not know how he ever got up.” Mr Wallace said a lot of time had been spent in speeding up the game and referees had done a lot of good. However, he felt "much of the bad stuff” was being missed and that made the game very unpalatable to many spectators. Difficult to Detect

He said some tackles were so late the referees could not possibly see them, and an early tackle was as difficult to detect.

“Why coaches will persist in that sort of thing I do not know.” said Mr Wallace. “The whole thing is rotten.” He said late tackles, jersey holding and early tackles seemed to be peculiar to certain areas.

Appealing to referees for their utmost attention to Mr Williams's paper, Mr Wallace said: “Let us get to work on it and concentrate on cleaning up the game.”