REFORMING RUGBY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1273, 31 October 1911, Page 4

REFORMING RUGBY.

; WAXUAKI'I GIVES A LEAD. ; Some timo ago the Wauganui Kugby Union put iomard a suggestion that the laws oi iooiuail snouid i» roioruied so as to improve tlio game, and bring tiicm nilo lino wiili t.it; n.ouoi'll development oi iootuall. TBo iNcw Zealand Union received tile proposal soiuowji.it coldly, hut invited tlio \itiiigaiiui Union to lranio detinue proposals. Tins it lias now uone. Jjasc week tuo Management Coimuittoo 01 uio Union considered tne report oi u sub-committee, which it liad appointed to go into tile matter. Several members of tuo committee iiad declared tiiuuiseives opposed to any alteration, but Uio suggestions put lorward by tne sub-com-ilmcco commended tiienisclves to u niajoritv of tlio commitxeo as being well wortiiy oi consideration. following is a synopsis of the suggested modifications ivJiicu will bo l'clcrred to the various unions lor consideration, and to meet which tlio requisite amendments in tlio laws oi tlio game will bo suggested:— 1. Tiiat tlio value oi a penalty goal bo reduced to two points. i!. That each wmg-lonvard play on tlio right hand side oi his serum. S. That all i'reo-kicks and kicks at goal be "tree," and shall not bo charged by tlio opposing side. ■]. Tnut in all froe-kicks, marks, or kicks, at goal, the kicker or any other player may handle the ball, wncther on the ground or otherwise. 5. That a player having possession of the ball, clear oi an opponent, may pass it trom any position (i.e., so long as tlio ball is not "held" a player may pass it, whether he is on the ground or not). li. That the penalties for a knock-on in tlio field of play 1)0 restricted to an intentional knock-on, and to any knock-on of niovo than two yards. 7, That if any player outside lus own twenty-live make a full kick into touch a free-kick bo awarded against him at a point ten yards at right angles to tlio touch-line wliero the ball went out. S. That al'tov any score by either side play he recommenced by a kick-oil' (placo kick) from halt-way. l i Tiiat there ho sonic dclmcd maximum duration for spells in a game.