RUGBY FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21173, 4 May 1932, Page 16

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

NEW SCRUM FORMATIONS. CLUBS STILL EXPERIMENTING. REPRESENTATIVE FIXTURES. Although it is yet early to judge, the new scrum formations as played by Rugby teams on Saturday give every indication of being successful, Clubs have not passed the experimental stage vet, but when they settle down and confine their attention to a definite formation the new scrum ■will perhaps find much more favour than it has up to the present. As was only to be expected, the ball failed to come out cleanly on many occasions, this being caused by forwards not giving the necessary weight. With coaching and more experience in the new formation a great, deal of improvement can be expected later in the season.

The majority of clubs packed the 3—4—l formation and it will not be surprising if this becomes general. It was to be noticed on Saturday, however, that teams which packed 32 —3 were generally more successful in hooking the ball. Jt, is said that in other centres penalties with regard to hooking have been fairly frequent,' but referees on Saturday were not troubled much in this department. Hooking the Ball. It is stated by senior Rugby players in Christchurch that in the four matches in tlteir grade last week there were three different interpretations, by referees, of the law providing when the ball is to be considered as fairly in the scrum. One referee 'allowed the ball to be hooked as soon as the ball entered the scrum, another allowed any foot in the front row to be lifted as soon as the ball had passed two feet. In the two other matches the law was interpreted correctly. It is particularly interesting to find that the teams most, satisfied with the application of the scrummage law were those playing under the proper interpretation. , The Auckland representative team will have a long tour in the South this season, embracing Hawke's Bay, Wairarnpa, Wellington, Otago, Southland, West Coast. (South Island) and Canterbury. Tho first match is against Hawke's Bay on July 20 and the last against Canterbury on August 20. Auckland's first representative match of the season will be against Waikato at Hamilton on June 3. Fixtures for Season. The full list of representative fixtures! arranged by the New Zealand Rugby Union for this season is as follows: — June 3.—Taranaki v. Wanganui, at New Plymouth; Hawke's Bay v. Wairarapa, at Napier; Waikato v. Auckland, at Hamilton.

June 4.—South v. North Island, at Cliristchiirch.

June 30.—Waikato v. North Auckland, Whangarei. July 2.—Buller v. West Coast, at Greymouth; Waikato v. Auckland, at Auckland.

July 6.—Wellington v. Taranaki, at Hawera.

July . 9.—Wairarapa v. Bush, at Eketahuna; Hauatiru v. Waipounamu (Prince of Wales Cup), at Palmerston North. July 16.—North Auckland v. Auckland, at Auckland; King Country v. Thames Valley,- in Thames Valley; Nelson v. Motueka-Golden Bay, at Motueka; Hawke's Bay v. Wairarapa, in Wairarapa; ; Marlborough v. Buller (Seddo:n Shield), at Westport. July 23.—Bush v. Wairarapa ,in Wairarapa; Bay of Plenty v. Waikato, at Hamilton.

July 27.—Canterbury v. Southland, at Invercargill. July 30.—Bay of Plenty v. Thames Valley, at Paeroa; Motueka-Golden Bay v. Buller, at, Westport; Wellington v. Wairarapa, in Wairarapa; South Canterbury v. North Otago, at Oamaru; Auckland v. Hawke's Bay, at Hastings; Canterbury v. Otago, at Dunedin. August 3.—Auckland v. Wairarapa, in .Wairarapa.

August 6.—Auckland v. Wellington, at Wellington; Canterbury v. South Canterbury, at Timaru; Thames Valley v. Waikato, at Hamilton.

August 10.— ~nd v. Otago, at Dunedin.

August 13.—Auckland v. Southland, at Invercargill ; South Canterbury v. Canterbury (Ranfurly Shield), at Christchurch; West Coast v. Buller, at Westport; Motueka-Golden Bay v. Nelson, at Nelson; Thames Valley v. Auckland, at Auckland; Taranaki v. Wanganui, at .Wanganui. August 17.—Auckland v. West Coast, at Greymouth. August 20.—Auckland v. Canterbury, at Christchurch; Wanganui v. Wairarapa, in Wairarapa; North Otago v. South Canterbury, at Timaru: Otago v. Southland, at Invercargill j East Coast v. Waikato, at Hamilton. August 24.—East Coast v. Thames Valley, in Thames Valley. August 27.—Manawhenua v. Wairarapa, in Wairarapa; South Canterbury v. Ashburton, at Ashburton; Nelson V. Buller, at Westport; Taranaki v. Wellington, at Wellington; East Coast v. Bay of Plenty, at Tauranga. September I.—Manawhenua v. Taranaki, at Stratford. September 3. —Wellington v. Canterbury, at Christchurch; Hawke's Bay v. Taranaki, at New Plymouth; Mana■whenua v. Wanganui, at Wanganui; Southland v. Otago, at Duned:n. September 7.—Wellington v. Southland, at Invercargill; Hawke's Bay v. Mana■whenua, at Palmerston North; Taranaki V. Waikato, at Hamilton.

September 10. —Wellington v. Otngo, 'at Dunedin; Taranaki v. Auckland, at Auckland; West Coast v. Buller, at Westport; King Country v. Waikato, at Hamilton.

September 54. —Taranaki v. North Auckland, at Whangarei. September 17. —Wanganui v. Hawke's Bay, in Hawke's Bay; Wellington v. Manawhenua, at Palmerston North. September 27. —Hawke's Bay v. Wellington, at Wellington.