RUGBY CHANGES

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 26, 1 February 1932, Page 9

RUGBY CHANGES

MUCH OPPOSITION

NEW ZEALAND FORMATION

HAS STOOD THE TEST'

The proposal of the New Zealand Bugby Union's Management Committee to fall into lino with other Rugbyplaying countries by adopting an eight-scrum formation and abolishing the wing-forward position has created quite a stir in Eugby football eirclos, and from the views being expressed it seems that there is likely to be considerable opposition to the change. There are no doubt many supporters of the game in this' country who will agree with George Gillett, former All Black, in his statement that "there is nothing wrong with our formation, which lias stood the test of forty years," and many, too, who will support his contention that "a good wing-forward can open up the game as well as the best half-back, and both can take their place on the field without detriment to the other or to team work as a whole.''

111 giving expression to his views, Gillett pointed out: "There is nothing to say you cannot play a man in this position (wing-forward) if you havo ten players in your scrum. The one person to handle a wing-forward is. the referee. Such high-class referees as Angus Campbell, Peter Maeky, 'Duteliie' Evans, and Jimniv Duncan could criticise with, authority, and they will support, I feel sure, my contention. . . . Let a good general place his fifteen men to the best advantage. What a howl there would be if the M.C.C. told Tom Lowry, New Zealand's cricket captain, how he should place his team."/ Gillett, who is thoroughly acquainted with wing-forward play, offered a suggestion, "that the New Zealand Eugby "Union could do with the infusion of some prominent players of the Wallace-Thoinson-Nieholls-Por-ter typo on the Management Committee," adding that "they would appreciate a good winger." One member of the combination ■ mentioned—W. J. Wallace—holds a seat on the Management Committee of the New Zealand Eugby Union, as does another former All Black, F. Glasgow, while some of the other committeomen have had considerable playing experience. Several, too, have been prominent as referees. A TARANAKI VIEW. The opinions of prominent Eugby men in Auckland, Canterbury, and Otago hare been published in '"The Post." The subject, however, has been widely discussed, and among others to make comment is Miv J. McLeod, chairman of the Management Committee of tho Taranaki Eugby Union, who agreed with those holding the opinion that the wing-forward was not a destructive element as far as back play was concerned. As for the 3-2-3 scrum, Mr. McLeod considered it not as good as New Zealand's 2-3-2, and that the wing-forward could be placed elsewhere than in the front rank of the scrum. He considered that in suggesting the adoption of the 3-2-3 form Mr. Dean was capitulating to tho International Board. Mr. .McLeod was decidedly against the 3-2-3 formation, and the alteration of the principle of the rules by the board when they stated that there must be throe men in the front row of the scrum, thus putting "off-side" the freedom of any team to place its combination as it wished. However, to prove New Zealand's sincerity in urging her claim to International Board representation, at tho annual meeting of delegates in Wellington early in 1930 it was decided to adhere strictly to tho English Eugby Union rule book in all essential respects. QUESTION OP PRINCIPLE. But what must not be overlooked, Mr. McLeod emphasised, was that this decision was not for one moment made on a voting test as to the merits or demerits of the "old" or "amended" rules; but solely and entirely on the question of the principle of acceding to England's appeal for unanimity as a necessary condition prior to consideration of our claim to direct representation. In other words, very many delegates, while still holding the view that the amended rules, for the playing of which dispensation had been granted to New Zealand and New South Wales, were distinctly in the best interests of the game, voted for reversion to the English Eugby Football Union laws of the game, firm in. the belief that once JNew Zealand was given a voice in the consideration of amendments to these laws a reasonable chance existed of the adoption ultimately of tho amended laws universally. It would be recollected by most followers of the game, said M"r. McLeod, that for years New Zealand has been exerting every constitutional effort to secure direct representation on the International Board, and thus have a voice m the making and alteration of the laws of the game. Late in 1929 and just prior to the lafe British tour ot the Dominion some advance towards this desired end was gained when the British authorities indicated in unmistakable language that the question would receive serious consideration only when. New Zealand dropped the amended rules" and adhered strictly to tho laws of the game of the English Bugbv Union. This was a serious matter for Australia and New Zealand, where a strong consensus of football opinion was solidly behind the so-called amended rules, particularly, of course the much-debated "kick-to-touch" rule. SPORTSMANSHIP. Mr. McLeod, recalling the previous agreement, said that it was very much gpen to doubt whether on any other ground it would have been possible to get a majority vote in New Zealand to revert to tho "old" law. At any rate, the whole of New Zealand had loyally observed tho agreement then made, and Australia had adopted a similar course, though probably far' from agreeing with the wisdom of the decision. The Australian Eugby Union opinion almost unanimously favoured what was known as the "open." game and disfavoured line-kicking. "If this is so, what gets me," said Mr. McLeod, "is how the International Board will be ablo to satisfactorily explain its sportsmanship in now apparently rushing into the consideration of many fundamental alterations to the laws of tho game, some of which if put into operation spell disaster to recognised New Zealand tactical formation, without giving us an opportunity' of expressing our opinion thereon, or having a voice in their adoption. "Having persuaded us to give up our few local laws in order to have unanimity and tho sotting up of a truly Imperial Eugby Board, and then-—if what one reads is true—to tako the earliest opportunity of suggesting' fundamental alterations to tho . laws and probably then offering us a seat on the board, is not the kind of treatment Aew Zealand is likely to stand for It would be quite foreign to all one's accepted notions of British sportsmanship, and until official information is available I must decline to believe that the English Eugby Union would allow the New Zealand Eugby Football Union to be 'double-crossed' in such a manner."

A direct saving of £2500 in lighting and heating is _ expected to result from (he liew hours in London's elementary schools The afternoon session will now commence at 1.30 p.m., and end at 3.30 p.m. lor infants, and i p.m. for older pupils.