RUGBY LEAGUE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 18 December 1925, Page 7

RUGBY LEAGUE.

PROPOSALS FROM N.S.AV. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. Received Dec. 18, 12.55 p.m. SYDNEY, Dec The General Committee of th e Y.S.AV. llugby Football League has approved of several drastic changes in the rules, making the code more attractive and tightening up th e management. -Next season will see the clubs almost entirely under amateur control. It has been resolved that in future general committees of district clubs shall consist of approximately eighteen office-bearers, none of which will be active players, and eight members who may, or may not lie active players. The Referees’ Appointment Board will consist of five members. The general committee of the head body of referees will have no say in the appointments in future. The game is to he speeded up by the introducing of rules, the principal of which will refer to the playing of the ball and the elimination of delay when the hall is kifcked into touch. Only one player on each side will be allowed to stand immediately behind the men playing the hall, and ah others must be behind those exempted. A reserve hall will he held on each touch line. A new ml© will insist that the front row of the scrum must not consist of more than three men. No injured players will he allowed to he replaced.

Two other recommendations requiring the approval 0 f the’ English authorities before they become haw are that after a touch-down the ball shall be brought into play by means of a drop-kick from the goal line instead of from the twenty-five, and option of taking scrum when a free-kick is awarded. The latter is intended to remove the soectac’e of a club making a wilful infringement to obtain a scrum, such as getting in front of the ball.

None of these matters have vet been ’•eferred to Queensland or New Zealand but it is probable that thev will be discussed bv the Board of Control No action has been taken at oresent concerning the visit from New Zealand