BETTER RUGBY

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 59, 10 March 1936, Page 11

BETTER RUGBY

NEW ZEALAND'S STYLE

2-3-2 SCRUM FAVOURED

With the approach of the Rugby football season one of several important matters exercising the minds.of members of local clubs is whether the mode of play is to be the same as has been the case since the traditional playing formation was., dropped.. Since, last season ,a delegation has been to England, aiid one result is that New Zealand, if it so desires, can revert to its former mode without offending the Home authorities. As has .. already been indicated in "The Post," a move has been made outside of Wellington for the reintroductipn of the 2-3-2 scrummage formation, and now that local clubs are holding their annual meetings there are signs of a similar move being made here.

A largely-attended, meeting of the Eastbourne Rugby Football Club last night took the matter up enthusiastically. There was a strong feeling in favour of the old style, providing for the famous diamond-shaped scrummage formation. Mr. A. J. Walling drew attention to the fact that the position which had brought about the change from having two men in the front row had been altered,, and it would be possible, he understood, to adopt local rules instead of acting in accordance with a previous agreement with the English Union.

In reply to a question as to the actual position, Mr. J.Moffitt stated that it appeared now that the Home authorities were prepared to grant dispensations to meet iocal conditions and did not desire to interfere in matters of a domestic nature. International matches, however, were bound to be played under the rules as laid down by the International Board. The meeting discussed the amended kick-into-touch rule and the scrummage formations, opinions generally being in favour of a change back to the amended rule as well as to the 2-3-2 formation. The opinions were offered by players and others, one front ranker, who had played under both formations, regarding New Zealand's traditional style as easily the best. Under the old order the hooking was cleaner and the'football better. The meeting decided that its delegates should support any endeavour made at the annual meeting of the Wellington Rugby Union to revert to the 2-3-2 scrummage formation and the amended kick-into-touch rule.