THE AMENDED RUGBY CODE

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 183, 1 May 1922, Page 6

THE AMENDED RUGBY CODE

NOT FAVOURED BY PLAYERS - EFFECT ON FORWARD PLAY At all the senior grade matches on Saturday afternoon Dominion reporters sought an expression of opinion from players, in regard to the incidence of the amended code, or the kick-into-touch rule, which the New Zealand -Rugby Union has decided shall be introduced throughout the Dominion this season. The code was not observed in the matches played in Wellington, pending the decision of the meeting of the Wellington Rugby Union Committee, whose delegates opposed it at the annual meeting of the N.Z.tt.F.U. last week. ‘lj; will have the effect of making the players stand still, on the field, when a line-kick is attempted, and, rather than follow the kick up, fast players will be minded to spare their wind, and see if the kick is to be recalled or not,” said a prominent referee. “Count such an incident a dozen times in a match, perhaps more, and you will see how the new rule will tend to slow the game up. Was this not the case in the final, between Grammar School and Grafton, in the Auckland competition last year, played as a curtain-raiser for the. second Test match ?. It will kill forward play. It will make for a hybrid game, such as is played in some of the Australian States.”

"It will encourage a lot of useless kicking,” said a former international, who was a spectator at Athletic Park on Saturday. “There will be a lot of useless marking, and forward play will be slowed up.” “The new rule is all right: it is a good rule,” said a leading Berhampore player on Saturday. “It will save a lot of kicking into touch, if a kicker thinks he has a big chance of being brought right back to where he started from, and lose the chance he had of opening the game un.” “It will be too trying on. the mar. who plavs the game.” was the comment of' a leading Selwyn player. “So long as you play the game In the right spirit, the present code is thoroughly good,” said the P° nek ® captain. “My opinion of the new rule is that it will be a case of aimless rushing up and down. “I would like to see the rule played before I would give it my supfT.an Old Boy player. •Meantime, I am not ®®" del as I do not know what its effecton forward play might me Another ” ’ ?Jn' V’wfchoii” 1 th'.’ wifS™ teur game, and, tnereiore, j :x rt P rX.io°4*"'Ti'" “"“"j give the heavier and slower . br..th» g JT. S”»£ r ;„| n . nil the time, vou IS eimnly ’toll™" to’ J 5 SS, ta e “ «»’ to* pllyed at pre.eht, .. >• **« Sinlry wwW. “ "tol it is we do not think for one mome.it that the union would consider the new rules into vogue .in V elling ton,” seemed to he the opinion ef th® players in both the Athletic and Wellington senior teams.. W McCabe, the wing for Athletic seniors, however, hod a decided opinion on the subject <lf this new rule comes in, he saia, will mean that we backs will h»ve to LterX method of defence. We are taught to find the line from any sort of kick, especially m our own five and if this rule conies into force, its ‘good-night’ on line-kicking when IL Thompson, who has charge of the Wellington B ® nio F s > ,^ ad ’J 1? given the matter much, thought, and expressed himself as dissatisfied wi the proposed' ’ amendment. It our forwards are going to he spoilt like the Auckland forwards wer ®; af^_ B a season’s play under the amended rules, we y do not want any change was his opinion. The Auckland f wards have lost their hard working qualities, and. as fir as I can see the amendments tend to produce a ™ek of forwards with the old spirit and haid Qualities e . G G Aitke’i. of the University team, stated that his club was in favour of the adopt on of the new rule. TTe thought that, the rule would make for the good of th’ onen un and make bright^> . added that ho would like .to see the rule regarding the invisible Imo through the scrum also brought into fO! T e F Moffitt, the Oriental skinner, said that as he had not. yet nlaved under the new rule, he was not prep red to express a definite opinion. H thought that tho general Principle of alterin" and mailing now rules was not vood for the game. He preferred the old game.