CHANGE MOOTED

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 94, 22 April 1935, Page 3

CHANGE MOOTED

RUGBY FORMATION

REMIT UNDER DISCUSSION

THE 2-3-2 SCEUMMAGE

(By "Drop-Kick.")

Experience of the eight-man scrimmage in New Zealand in place ot me traditional 2-3-2 formation with a wingforward has led to a move being made for a return to the old order. Remits have been going the rounds of unions, but little information regarding the proposals has been revealed. It is expected, however, that the remits will be presented for further discussion at the annual meeting of delegates to the New Zealand Rugby Union, as some of them no- doubt will be going forward to the English Rugby Union for the consideration of delegates to the Ipperial Rugby Conference, in which case New Zealand's two delegates will require to be well armed as sponsori. It is known; from a report of one of the unions affiliated .to..the New Zealand Rugby Union, that the remits include a proposal to revert to the 2-3-2 scrummage1 formation, with a suggestion that the extra man (formerly a straight-out wing-forward) be an extra back. The extent to which the proposal is likely to be supported is not known, but there is a strong feeling that New Zealand Rugby football has received a se>back through the adoption, to carry favour with the Home authorities, of the eight-man scrummage.

THE BETTER GAME. New Zealand's specialised game was so much more spectacular1 and successful than that by which the very excellent diamond-shaped scrummage formation and the wing-forward have been jettisoned. Scrummage troubles have increased immensely under the changed conditions. They appear to have become every bit as great as they have been in the Home countries; where much time and thought have been given to ways and means of eliminating them. The scrummage rules have been altered, and, as has been suggested in "The Post" from time to time, the alterations have been such as to, be. beneficial to New Zealand under the 2-3-2 scrummage system. The middle man of the front row, known as the "rake," in Rugby in England and: in the other Home countries has. long been recognised as the cause of a good deal of the scrummage troubles, and very definite moves have been made to curb his activities. That being so, it was extraordinary that New Zealand, without any middle man in the front row, should have sacrificed its far simpler working system. ' ' . The playing of three men in the front row was not forced upon New Zealand; no rule was introduced to make it compulsory to have three men in the front rpw. The change was made as a gesture, and it has been a'costly one. That the changes in the rules have not been directed at New Zealand'^ ; traditional formation has been made more evident by the latest alterations providing for the ball being fairly in the scrummage when it has passed one foot of each side. The ball, when fairly in, can now be hooked by the first and fourth feet. That is simply coming right back to New . Zealand methods which made for spectacular and cleaner hooking and a much- better game all round: This latest development at Home strengthens the case for a reversion to the 2-3-2 scrummage. -...-; '

THE EXTRA MAN.

There is the question, however, as to what to do with the player who formerly stood off from the scrummage as a wing-forward. It has .been suggested that he be played as an extra full-back. Tliat idea makes no appeal, and as far as can be gathered it does not carry favour with those responsible for the control of the game in New Zealand. There has certainly been no proposal from ■ New Zealand Rugby headquarters that the extra man be used as a full-back.

While New Zealand is endeavouring to do away with the wing-forward, it is of particular interest to note that wing-forward play in the Home countries is being developed to a great extent. There, the, wing-forwards are regarded as members of the eight-man pack, but except that they do lower their heads with the other forwards when scrummages are formed, tney function just as our wing-forwards did. And today they are looked upon as a match-winning force. New Zealand should not-'forget'.this in preparing for the big tour of the Home countries. The danger to be faced in that direction was mentioned by the writer last season. Would it not be something to write home about if New iZealand happended to be beaten by a type of player, of its own making—the wing-forward? OUT IN THE OPEN. In view of what is happening in the Home countries, there should be no great concern about bringing the wingforward back again into his old place instead of having him placed slightly under cover by attaching him lightly to the scrummage. If it is necessary to keep him within bounds, then 'no better idea is offering than that presented and practised by the Auckland Rugby Union—the application of what was known as the "imaginary line" rule. Whatever troubles he may have caused,. there was certainly nothing like the scrummage difficulties during his long and effective reign that there are under present conditions.

New Zealand's highly-specialised game was built up by long years of sound thought and hard practice. It was discarded in deference to opinions held Overseas. The game of the other countries has now been given a fair trial; and it has been found wanting in some respects. Would it be asking too much of England's Rugby sportsmen to give New Zealand's 2-3-2 scrummage formation a trial? In-'so'doing they would find a solution of most of their scrummage . troubles. But what of the wing-forward? "A rose by any other name " —call him an extra half .or (in New Zealand) stand-off half.