MONTH’S TRIAL FOR NEW LAW

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31343, 13 April 1967, Page 15

MONTH’S TRIAL FOR NEW LAW

WELLINGTON.

The council decided to recommend to today’s annual meeting, that the experimental law of allowing kicking into touch only in one’s own half should be tried out between April 29 and May 27.

Mr C. A. Blazey said that in this period the new law would be played at all levels except primary schoolboy grades.

To help the International Rugby Board, which had agreed to the dispensation, local unions would be asked to send statistics showing how many times the ball was kicked into touch on the full, the number of line-outs, and the number of times the ball was bounced into touch. After the month’s trial unions would be asked to send another set of statistics showing the same things under the existing rules. Mr H. C. Blazey asked that the unions should also comment on the standard of forward play under the amended kick into touch rule. "That is something which is vital,” he added.

Mr C. A. Blazey said that the unions also would be asked to give their general comments on the amended law so that the international board would be able to assess the reactions from the different countries where the dispensation would be used. 1 Tour Official^.—The selection of Mr C. K. Saxton as manager and Mr F. R. Allen as assistant manager of the AU Black team that will tour the British Isles and France this year, seemed a foregone conclusion. They were the only nominations received yesterday and it is unlikely that any further nominations wiU be received before the decisions are made tomorrow Longer Minutes.—A request from the Coronation Shield districts executives for the council to supply more information in its minutes was declined. It was decided to leave the length of the minutes and any explanation of the decisions made to the discretion of the secretary (Mr G. H. Geddes). Australian Tour.—., nine match itinerary for a tour of Australia by the AU Blacks in May-June next year was approved. The tour wiU include two test matches and will break new ground with a match against Tasmania at Hobart Other matches will be against South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Sydney and Queensland.