RUGBY RULES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 8 September 1922, Page 5

RUGBY RULES.

IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS

(by telegraph—press association.) WELLINGTON Sept. 7. Important recommendations for _alter_ ations to Rugby rules in the Dominion, formulated by 'Mr. Dean, manager of the AH Blacks who were recently in Australia, were presented by the management committee of the New Zealand Rugby TJnion to-night. Mi\ Dean stated that the New Zealanders were handicapped owing to a differejnt interpretation of the rules in New South Wales, particularly in regard to the wing forward, who, according to the referee's ruling, was invariably offside when his team secured ■possession in the scrum. In order to get over the difficulty in the last test the team was compelled to play what was tantamount to an imaginary line through the back scrum

After making various recommendations, including an interchange of referees, to bring about" uniformity, Mr. Dean 'said lie was not favourably inclined to the present-day wing forward, and (suggested his entire abolition, so as to fall in line with other Rugbyplaying countries. He also advocated a three-two-three scrum. Such alterations would btighten the game and tend to eliminate playing the man. He also recommended" that New Zealand should take .steps for the adoption of uniform rules allowing &n absolute free k-i-. . The discussion on the reporf was de. terreel till next mating.