RUGBY AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 23292, 14 June 1939, Page 4

RUGBY AFFAIRS

RULING ON SCRUMMAGE LAW “ WRONGLY ADVISED " [Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Juno 13. “Ifcjthe newspaper report of this question and the answer is correct, then the union concerned has been wrongly advised,” stated a report issued by" the Wellington Referees’ Association to-night in connection with a ■ruling given by the New Zealand Rugby Union to the Canterbury Rugby Union- on scrummage law. The question submitted to the New Zealand Union was: “ AVhat is the position if the ball comes out of the scrummage in front of the middle row? ” The answer .given was: “ The ball must be put in again.” “ This is incorrect,” said the report -of-the Wellington Referees’ Association, “ There is no law relating to the scrummage which says that the ball must be hooked out of the back of the scrummage. If the ball comes out the side of the scrum behind the feet of a side-row man, then it is playable, which means that it is permissible to hook the ball down the side channel of the scrummage. “ The ball can only be put into a scrummage again without penalty if (1) it comes out at either side between the lilies of the feet of the players forming each.front row, which, broadly speaking, means straight through or out the channel it went in; (2) between the feet of either of the outside players of each front row on the side on which the ball has been put in. The putting, in- of the ball again always indicates that no scrummage law was broken, but-the ball came out at either ;(1) ■ or .(2).’’

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE NOMINATION [Per United Press Association.) . CHRISTCHURCH, June 13. .Mr. A- ,E. ;M‘Phail is the nominee of the Canterbury Rugby Union as one of the delegates to represent the Now Zealand Union at the Imperial Rugby Conference in London early next year. Mr J, K. Moloney, president of the Canterbury Union, ,told the Management Committee to-night that it was high time that the South Island had representation at the conference. “ I do not. think the plums have gone round quite enough,” he commented.