ARMS AKIMBO

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 16, 18 July 1931, Page 21

ARMS AKIMBO

NOT IN ORDER

RUGBY FOOTBALL NOTES

Can players stand with their arms akimbo? This question has created

. icJi discussion in Wellington, and apparently there has also been some doubt

about the matter elpe'where. The Wairarapa referees have asked the question, and the following reply by the New Zealand Eugby Eeferees' Associa-. tion has been confirmed by the' New Zealand Eugby Union's Management Committee: "No. . Players must stand with their arms straight down by their sides." Just Beaten. • Athletic have had a run of bad luck lately. Against Oriental last Saturday they had much the better.of things in the second spell, more definitely than Oriental in the first spell, and yet they could not draw. The three-point' win which was gained by Oriental was considered by some to be a doubtful ono. Davies, who scored the only try, appeared to have been prevented by Burgess from grounding the ball. But apart from this Athletic did everything but get through. It was not a day for big scores, and the quagmire in parts

of the ground took.some escaping from,

Incidentally, knowledge of the size of the Prince of Wales Park would be interesting, as the field looks distinctly on the small side. Some players are not happy there, as they suspect the

ground to be short of full size,

Athletic were unlucky in losing Diack, the useful five-eighths, who was playing a very sound game until he met with a nasty injury that may keep him out of football for awhile. Burgess and Corbett both worked immensely hard in the effort to slip over for the equalising .score, and both were dangerous. Their efforts were not crowned with success. . There are some willing scrummagers in the Athletic team, but: none more willing than Adam and Howard, who are now the veterans of this young team. .

Oriental have a safe full-back in Coupland, who also possesses considerable pace. ' His taking of the ball and speed enabled him to bring off some unorthodox stunts. The nippy Chambers, behind such'a

pack as Oriental's, was a. source of.

trouble to Athletic. He serves his backs well, but both the five-eighths are inclined to judge distance wrongly. Either they go too far or let the ball out a little too soon. There are such, possibilities in tho five-eighths line that it is a pity their combination is not better. , : One of the most enterprising of the Oriental backs is Reid, the wing-three-quarter. Ho has the right idea of heavy groirnd play, too, and he combined with his forwards well in loose rushes, not wasting chances in the attempt to pick up the ball. One such rush very narrowly missed a score. . A Rule Amended. Law 32 of the Rules of Rugby football has been amended by the International Rugby Board to read as fol-

lows: —"If.'a defending player kick, pass, knock, or carry the ball back into his own in-goal, and if it be there made dead, except in the case where a try is obtained, the ball shall bo brought back and scrummaged at the spot where it was kicked, passed, knocked, or carried back." The extent of the amendment is the deletion of the word "wilfully" after "defending player." The rule as amended comes into force at the commencement of the next season in England. Commenting upon the change a South African critic'states: —"Overworked referees will be relieved of .the difficulty of deciding if." the action of a player in kicking, passing, knocking, or' carrying the ball back over his.own goal-line was accidental" or otherwise. This is plainly.'a wise movo,- and it will not make much difference to" the Springboks when they are in England as the interpretation, of the rule by referees in,this, country has largely. been in accordance with the spirit of the'amendment." ■ '.. '. ' Notes. ■ . .: The latest issue of the "New Zealand Rugby Annual," a copy of which has been received from Mr. G-. W. Slade, brings the'record of New Zealand's important events up to date, and for this alone it is worthy of a place in the sportsman's library. The annual also gives much other information of value, including the rules of the game, the New Zealand Union's annual report, international and important interproviueial contests, and a register of .players and scorers. '....-..

Social functions are .becoming a popular part of the Johnsonyille Eugby Football Club's activities, and in this connection a special ejffort is being made to improve the club's finances by holding a big gathering next Wednesday. Arrangements made by, the Social Committee point to a very successful ball; ■ ■'. ■.-,.■■'■.. : ,

Followers of Eugby football in Auckland are greatly taken with the play of Caughey, a young,, strapping three-quarter who is having his first season in senior football after having played for King's College; It was expected in some quarters that the Auckland selector would nominate, him for

the North Island team, but this was not done.

J. C. Gibbs, the famous Harlequin, Kent, and England wing threequarter, whose extraordinary speed earned for him the sobriquet,of the "Flying Harlequin,"' has decided to retire from active. Bugby owing to business de-