PACKING THE SCRUM

Grey River Argus, 8 December 1928, Page 1 (Supplement)

PACKING THE SCRUM

RUGBY UNION DISCUSSES I - AGREEMENT. , WAY THEY HAVE IN AFRICA. jThe agreement regarding the packing 'of - the - scrum, drawn up between flic New Zealand and South African R;ugby ; Unions, was the subject of con ki.derable discussion at the meeting of tlie Management Committee of the New Zealand Union, when the report o|' the manager of the team, Mr W. ■Hornig, was considered. , Mr J.'G. Roache said he considered clause 4 of the agreement concerning the packing of the tcrum was contrary to the laws of the game. IMr Hornig said the South African referees allowed only one method of packing the scrum. They would not allow two heads to go down together. '■ Mr 11. S. Leith: It wafc a case of 14‘hi n in Rome you must do as tieRomans do. j • Air Roache: It was contrary to the i of the game. : Air Leith: It was ridiculous. ) i Mr Hornig: I do not think it was * vidivulou - . ; Air‘Roache: You show me when* rhe rules stale that the scruni must Irn* parked according fo the method in <isti,<l iipr n I y the South African re- | ferees. | I Mr lloroig: Yo:l show me where j ip; laid down that the scrum must no’ be formed that way. K Air E. Wylie: Personally I w aihi I pot have sighed any agreement. Mr Dean: If you' were going u, on hnotiier tour would you sign aiudlrei pg! content ’ 1 Air Hornig: Certainly I would. It ,would not have made the ‘ /‘slightest differ< uc.e. Mr Wylie: What about fit stipulating that the man who'put the ball in the scrum should’be regarded as a halfback? Air Hornig:. Tn agreeing to that we 1 onsidered we were safeguarding out

wingforward. Air Leith: You wore not. I do nd. consider the South African referees had any right to contract us out of the laws of the game. Air Hornig said scrum formation in South Africa was shocking. Often the ball would be put in eight times before the referee wps satisfied that it had been fairly put in. Afr Dean said he did not consider that it was the right thing to sign.such an agreement. Still Alessrs Hornig. M. Brownlie and At. Nicholls were there and considered it was the proper thing to do. NO POWER TO ALTER LAWS. Mr Mornig: We sighed the agree ment in the interests of the harmoni ous working on the tour. Air Fletcher asked if the South African referees allowed the ball to go on the centre of the scrum before it was hooked. • • M r Hornig: Yes. They often in