Rugby Law "Being Misinterpreted”

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31654, 15 April 1968, Page 11

Rugby Law "Being Misinterpreted”

(New Zealand Press Association) TIMARU. The advantage law was being misinterpreted by up to SO per cent of referees throughout the country, said the chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Referees’ Association executive (Mr C. H. Williams).

Speaking at the association’s annual conference in Timaru, Mr Williams said that referees had a “free hand” deciding whether an advantage had been gained. This was provided in a special note on page 21 of the law book. But up to 80 per cent of the referees were working under the old law: that a referee shall not whistle for an adjournment during play which is followed closely by an advantage gained by the non-offending team (for this purpose an advantage must be either territorial or else such clear possession of the ball

as constitutes an obvious tactical advantage). “A mere opportunity to gain an advantage is not sufficient,” stated the old law. The amendment to this rule was made some years ago, said Mr Williams, but it had been so placed in the law book that it was easily missed. The majority of referees had never read it. The amendment gave referees wide powers of discretion to what constituted an advantage. The law applied not merely to territoial gain and referees were the sole judges of whether an advantage had been gained. One of the most important laws, it was imperative that it be administered properly and in a uniform fashion, said Mr Williams. 99 Per Cent Pass

In the examinations for 1967, 31 candidates (15 per cent of the passes) passed with honours. This reflected top-line instruction and a strong “breadth and depth” to the real work on law, said Mr Williams.

Some remarkable papers had been turned in, he reported, with Mr F. H. Whaley, of Wairarapa, achieving top mark of 99 per cent This had never been beaten. Following him were Messrs P. Harris (Bush) and R. E. Williams (Wellington), with 98) and 97 per cent, respectively. The over-all result created a new record for the association—6l per cent of the entrants gaining passes.