TRIAL IN ENGLAND

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 54, 5 March 1927, Page 9

TRIAL IN ENGLAND

RUGBY TOUCH RULE

COMMENT UNFAVOURABLE (United Press Association.— Copyright.) LONDON, 3rd Maich. The Barbarians defeated East Midlands by 24 points to 11 in a match arranged to test the New Zealand kick-into-touch rule. Colonel Philip Trevor aays that the rule obviously puts a premium on cleverness and ingenuity. The full-back must be a man of great resource. A back division which cannot indulge in ingenious hand-to-hand passing will stand no chance. The "Daily Chronicle" says that it is obvious that if the rule is put on the statute book it will kill forward play, and speed up the game to such an extent that an ordinary club player will be unable to stand. Most Rugby men- agree that the game is quite fast enough already. id-. Frank Mitchell, writing in the "Morning Post," says that the operation of the new rule did nop impress the majority of spectators, and in many cases worked unfairly. The fullback, when outside his twenty-live, might just as well allow himself to be tackled as kick to the middle of the field.