RULES OF RUGBY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18398, 16 May 1934, Page 6

RULES OF RUGBY

LECTURES FOR REFEREES A SEASON'S PROGRAMME IMPORTANT) INTERPRETATIONS • 4 * Interpretations of the rules of Rugby football are to be the subject of a seines of lecttirettes arranged by the Poverty Pay Rugby Referees' Association during the season, and while the arrangement lias been made principally for the benefit of refepees and aspiring members of the association, these lectures should be of considerable value to the general public, „ in establishing definitely the many points oil which doubts have existed. ’The first speaker in the series was Msf. N. Gilchrist, .hon. secretary ot the association, who initiated the programme of weekly addresses recently with a review of the first section of the book of Rugby laws, his address being as under:-.-“In the first of this season’* series of lecturcttes, I wish to €>mphaa|B6 the value of a thorough knowlefge of the little red book. It is seitretiinea Mid that the lawyer of the rule book is often mediocre as a prod ical referee. - This may be true to a certain - degree. On the other hand, a. thorough itoowledge of the lotos is essential in order to- ensure their fair and impartial administration. Of course, other qualities pre necessary for successful umpimg-~eonhdettce, initiative, and personality, etc.—but these will he dealt with, ifi a later lecture. “with regard to the laws under review in this lecture, they are for the gre*tep;part definitions, and I ciiimot go Far beyozid quoting tho actual wording of these jlriihout trespassing on tho preserves mf later lecturers,, so they aro not likefy'to arouse lively discussion:, nevertlSMfess, some of them have an importantr tearing on the interpretation of the laws to be examined later. The Second part of our book is dejK yqted to a summary of infringements and penalties, with notes and rulings thereon, and I suggest that, for future

reference, the pages on which these are found should be doted in the margin of the lAw itself. THE PLAYING FIELD “To my mind, lath's 1 and 3 and part of law 2’«ld he as mey covet the onA subjeetr-d-h© playing fieldTJ4 Standard size of ‘the held ot play is lip yards by 75 yards, with an ingoal area at each bhd extending not further thafi. 25 yards. These measurements may he reduced if circumstances necessitate, blit all boundary linies should, in any case, be clearly marked. It must h«e noted that these lifies are oiitside the aifei they define; that is, the touch line is in touch ana the goal line is in in-god, as are also the goal posts. This is an important definition as a try (or touch-down) may be scored on the goal line dr on the ground against In© goal post. The corner post, of which the flag is not a part, is in touch-in-goal, “The dash-lines syds inside the touch hues iudicat© the minimum distance at which the ball may alight when thrown in from touch. The dashlines 10yds. on each side of the halfway line indicate the distance the bah must travel from the kick-off, and the opposing players must not approach closer that tfies© lines. “Law 2.—‘Beyond’ or ‘behind’ or ‘in fronts of any position indicated refers to both feet. This defiiiition has an important bearing on the off-side law. . “Thd MW is ‘dead,’ or out of play, when tho referee's whistle is blown or: (a) after • a tackle, after a touch-down, after a try, after an Unsuccessful attempt at conversion or after a goal has been scored from any other kick; (b) when, not being in a player’s possession, the'.ball touches a corner post, or touches, or .crosses a touch line, touchin:goal line, or dead ball line: Of . (c) when the hall in a player’s possession, or the player carrying it touches a corner post, or touches a touch line, touch-in-goid line, dead ball line, or the ground beyond tliern A FINE DISTINCTION “Let its. examine the fine distinction between (li) and (c). The word 'crosses’ in the forpicr paragraph does not appear in tlie latter, in which we find ‘or the ground! beyond them’ —so that the ball in a player’s possession may cross any of these lilies but does not

become dead unless grounded-provided always that the player himself does hot touch the line or the ground beyona. “Finally, the ball is dead when it, or the player carrying it, touches the referee. “A goal is scored by kicking the ball over the opponents’ ‘cross-bar b); any place-kick or drop-kick, except a kick-off or a drop-out, without touching the ground or any player of either team. “Grounding nthe ball is the act of a player torching the ball down—-with the hand—so as to press the ball on the ground. Picking tho ball up is not grounding it, or if the bail is bounced it is still in play—there must lie distinct pressure between the hand, ball, and ground. This applies- to both try arid touch-down. n “A kick is ifeaae by propelling the ball with the foot, or leg. from the knee to the toe inclusive. Tne kick-Off must be A place-kick from the huddle of the half-way line. The dW>p-ou't hurst be a drop-kick taken from within the 25yds. line, Which it must reach. The free kick (from a fair catch) or the penalty

kick may be taken as a place kick, drop kick, or punt. THE FAIR CATCH “A fair catch is made direct from a kick, knock-on, or forward throw by one of the opponents. The catcher must claim it by making a mark with his heel simultaneously with making the catch, which must be a clean one at the first attempt. It is made direct from a kick, knock-on or forward throw, but cannot be claimed from a rebound or from a correct pass, A fair catch can be made in in-goal. A catch cannot be claimed if the player be on one knee, or from o rebound from the goal posts or cross bar. If the player claiming a fair catch be injured So that he cannot take the kick within three minutes, the kick is void, and a scrummage must be taken at, the irt “The rebound 1 must not, be confused with the knock-on and throw forward, which are made, by the hand or arm. “A scriirtiWiAge, Which can only take place in the field of play, is formed by ohe or more players from each team closing round the ball when it is on the ciound, or by their closing up in readiness to allow the ball to be put on the gkmnd between them . “A tackle occurs when the holder of the ball in the field of piny is held by one or 'more players in the opposing team so that while he IS so held there is a moment, When he cannot -pass or play tne ball. , “111 the matter of dress, players may not wear dangerous projections, AMh as ' buckles nr linys, and misale studs on boots. Tf a player so offends ne must not be allowed t,o‘ participate in the game until the dangerous article has been rei moved. .. . . , “If the repetition of these old friends has been too Wearisome, I crave your I indulgence and plead their importance in , assisting us to a more thorough know- ’ lesge and more able interpretation of the > laws which deal with the play in detail.