Football Bye-laws.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7664, 26 June 1896, Page 4

Football Bye-laws.

The Poverty Bay Rugby Union have received a communication from the New Zealand Rugby Union setting afa rest the, much vexed question of how a penalty kick shall be taken. It has hitherto been, ruled by the local unions' referees that a, place kick must be taken when a free-kick is awarded for an infringement of the, rules. The question waß submitted to the N.Z.R.U , and the following reply has bean received by the P.B. Uunion ; - "Penalty kicks may be place kicks, drops, or punts." The governing union; further replied that the kicker or any. other placer may touch and arrange the ball In all enses, whether the occasion be after a try has been obtained, after a fair catch has been made, or after a free - kick has been awarded by way of a penalty and it has been elected to place the ball. In answer to another point submitted, the N.Z.R.F.U. have replied that the referee has power to disallow any charge prematurely made on the occasion of a free kick, whether in such free-kick the ball be placed, dropkicked, or punted. In reference to this latter reply we will quote Rule 10, which says in dealing with the charge when a punt or drop-kick is being taken for a free-kick : " The opposite side may charge as soon as the catcher commences to run or offers to kick, but the kicker may always draw back, and unless he has dropped the ball or touched it with his foot the opposite side must retire to the line of the mark. But if any of the opposite side do charge before the player having the ball commences to run or offers to kick, providing the player has not taken his kick, the charge may be disallowed on appeal." On these points, though tho rules appear to be very plain in respect to them, there has been for some time a diversity of opinion in local football circles, and in getting the decisions of the New Zealand Union there is no doubt that the P.B. Rugby Union took the right course.