RUGBY RULES

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 90, 13 October 1920, Page 9

RUGBY RULES

WELLINGTON LOYAL TO ENGLAND

REPRESENTATION ON INTER-

NATIONAL BOARD

A meeting of delegates representing ! the various Rugby football clubs in the Wellington district was held in the Chamber of Commerce last evening to consider the proposed amendments to the rules of the game on the lines of those adopted by the Sydney Conference of October-November last. Dr. P. .7. M'Evedy presidedAltogether eleven rnks were proposed to be altered by the conference, und the rcommendations were forwarded to the English Rugby Union for approval or otherwise. The English Rugby Union approved of the amendments relating to (a) Law 5, that a kick-off (from half-way) be taken after an unconverted try; (b) Law 9 (fair-catch), a player taking a mark must take the kick; (c) Law 10 (free kicks), prohibits charging free kicks. Any piayer may place or (and) kick the ball; Law 21, all scrummages for breaches near the touch-line inside the 25 shall be.taken 10 yards out. Dr. M'Evedy said that the proposed amendments had already been discussed by a. meeting of chairmen of New Zealand Rugby Unions, and certain recommendations were made and resolutions passed. The amendments proposed were of vital importance to the game, for should the Union decide to bring in rules which were not approved by the Engjish Union, the Wellington Union , would either be liable to suspension or would have to secede from the English R-ugby Union. s Mr. J. Prendeville said that the recommendations came from the Sydney Conference,. The Executive of the New Zealand Rugby Union had pledged itself to support those recommendations.. ■ Mr. W. Hornig said that the SouthAfrican match would have to be played nnder the old rules, otherwise the team would not come to New Zealand. A voice : "Aren't they going to Auckland?" He was not in favour of seceding from the English Union, and .stated that he had received from Mr. G. W. Slade a copy of a. cablegram from Mr. Cecil Wray Pallieer, New Zealand's representative on the Enelish JEtugby Union, stating that New Zealand was to be granted a representative on the International Board. Mr. Slade had expressed great satisfaction at the announcement, and counselled delay in the matter of adopting the proposed amendments. Mr. Hornig maintained • that^ were ■ the recommendations sent on to the board they would be'given due consideration. MAJORITY RULE. The Chairman said that the English Union was concerned only with English games, while the International Board dealt with alterations to rules. All unions, English, Welsh, Scottish, Irish, New Zealand, or what not, had a right to make recommendations, and it would be absurd for the New Zealand Union to secede if it did not get everything it wanted —it'should abide by the opinion of the majority. If the proposals were wise they would be adopted eventually, but if the New Zealand Union were to break away and play a hybrid game, the end would be that, no game would be played.,- .-■ ■ --.. ■", ■■'. Mr. E. Perry then moved thai the I meeting should affirm its loyalty to the English Bugby Union, and resolved to abide by the decision of the International Board. Mr. J. Prendeville said that it ap- I peared to him that the granting of a seat upon the International Board to a New Zealand representative cut away any. right to secede. RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENGLISH' . UNION. ■ The English Union, Mr. Geo." Fache maintained, had always been willing to consider recommendations from New Zealand. The Wellington Club had decided not to play under rules which were not approved by the English Union. Eventually the Internationa' Board would comprise representatives of all football-playing countries, and there would then be world-wide rules. If New Zealand thought to tell England that it would get out if it did not get what It wanted, England would very quickly say "Get out," and mean it. THE OTHER SIDE. Mr. T. Fletcher (Referees' Association) said that Wellington was favoured in the matter of public support, but in other centres Rugby was falling back and the game had to be made more attractive. He considered that the union should fall in line with the ' majority opinion of New Ze&iand. The motion was carried. REPRESENTATION ON INTERNA- / TIONAL BOARD. Several speakers complained that the New Zealand representative upon the International Board had insufficient status (as a "county" representative), and a motion was passed requesting the New Zealand Union to urge the English Rugby Union to make the board more representative, . The meeting decided "that delegates of this union be instructed that, whilst they should give support as this union may decide to suggestions for amendments of the rules, they should not support any resolution that may be deemed likely'to cause a break with the English Union." The delegates were considerably divided as to whether the proposals should be discussed at so late an hour, and several left the meeting-room. After further discussion tho motion was carried. Tho principal proposed alteration related to the kicking, into touch from penalty kick, or from inside the kicker's 1 25, in which case the ball shall be brought back into play in the usual way at a spot opposite to where it was kick-' ed from. This was the only amendment, apart from those approved by Hie English Union, which was favoured by the delegates.