RUGBY RULES

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 111, 7 April 1927, Page 10

RUGBY RULES

TRYING FOR UNIFORMITY.

LEADING REFEREE’S IDEAS

WELLINGTON, April 5. In the course of an interview regarding the revised book of Rugby laws by the Rugby Union in England, Mr T. A. Fletcher, of the New Zealand Rugby Union and the New Zealand Referees’ Association, commented: “Not many alterations are being made in the game itself, but there are one or two important changes from New Zealand’s point of view. The view of the Rugby. Union is that we- now want no further dispensations and should do our utmost to have a universal code for the whole Rugby playing world. We have now only three dispensations —kick-into-touch rule, right to take a mark without making a heel-mark and the right to play the game in four spells. “The kick-into-touch rule is to be'a subject of discussion at the annual of the N.Z.R.U., when a motion will be brought forward for its abolition. It is difficult to forecast what the result will be, but I am inclined to think it will be retained. “The changes made in the rules, however, do not relate to these dispensations. But I may state that though we do not agree with all the -changes, for example, making exceptions for application of the advantage rule, and certain phases of the tackle rule, we are going to adopt the English rulings in the interest of uniformity. The rules will be discussed by a conference of the Referees’ Association at Carterton at Easter. Any decisions will be submitted to the N.Z.R.U. for confirmation.”