RUGBY PROBLEMS

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 38, 16 February 1929, Page 5

RUGBY PROBLEMS

ENGLISH RULINGS* At last night's meeting' of the management committee of the Taranaki Rugby Union a letter was received from the New Zealand Union forwarding replies which had been received from the laws committee Of . the Rugby Football Union, Twickenham, to two questions that had been submitted for their ruling. Question one was: During the piogress of play the full-back, who was the last line of defence, kicked the ball and was prevented, by being collared, from taking part in the immediately succeeding play. The ball was mis-kicked towards the defended goal line. One of the kicker's own side, Who was off-side when the ball was kicked, ran behind the place where the full-back played the ball. Did this action place him off-side, and was th© referee right in allowing the play to continue? The answer was: The action of the player by commonsense interpretation of law 18 (d) did place him on side and the referee was right in allowing the play to continue. Law 8D states that an offside player is placed on side when one of his side has run in front of him, having kicked the bull when behind him. ' Question two was; The bull-hacr, after kicking the hall, was thrown into touch and to the ground. An j off-side Player ran back to where he crossed the line and played the ball Was he in order in doing so. The’ answer was: The player was not in order in this case. He could not place himself on side as the kicker was out of the field o Pl The paragraph referred to states that an off-side player shall not play the half, nor actively or passively obstruct an opponent, o* approa or wilfully remain within ten y of any opponent waiting for the hal .