Rugby Union and the Old Rules

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 189, 8 May 1931, Page 11

Rugby Union and the Old Rules

Sir, —In this morning’s issue you refer to the practice of allowing replacements during the progress of a match, and offer the opinion that such attion is a contravention of the rule, which reads: The game shall be played by not more than fifteen players on each side.” Now,' may I suggest that if. a player Is forced to retire through -injury, that then the game is not being played in accordance with the above rule, and one team is placed at a decided disadvantage. To conform to the rule, a replacement is allowed, and I submit that it is quite a legitimate reading of the rule to so luterPr Agai'n, we hear so much about “sport” in Rugby to-day, and rightly so.. May .1. then submit that the “serious view is to prohibit replacements, while 'the. real “sporting” view would be to decline to take advantage of a misfortune, and to permit a replacement to be made. And lastly, when this matter has previously been under discussion, the remark has been made that if no replacements are allowed, the way is open for an unsernpulous team to deliberately gain the advantage by rough Wellington, May 5. >.