RULES OF RUGBY

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 23, 19 August 1932, Page 2

RULES OF RUGBY

REPLACING OF INJURED PLAYERS LEAVING FIELD AT HALFTIME DISCUSSION BY N.Z. UNION WELLINGTON, Thursday.—A spe cial meeting of the New Zealand. Rugby Union was held to-day to consider matters regarded as being of vital importance to the game, among them being the replacing of injured players, leaving the field at half time and, at the request of the New South Wales Union, the kick into touch rule. Mr. G. Pownall, president of the New Zealand Union, addressing the meting, said he had heard the expression that rules were made to be broken. "If we agree with a rule once it is passed it is our duty to stand behind that rule and be men of our word," he said.

The meeting, he said, was largely the outcome of reports that had got. : abroad because of the fault of several '■ unions and their relations with the I Press. He said that advisedly, feelI ing that some of the unions should ' take the Press into their confidence as ! did the New Zealand Union. They should let the Press know when they were discussing matters they did not wish to go into print. A large number of false impressions had got abroad and were liable to do a gr«at amount of harm, especially in stirring up troubles in Britain. He wanted it to be understood that he was not going to be any party to any question of severance from Britain. New Zealand's allegiance to the ; English Rugby Union was one of : those invisible' bonds of Empire, if not expressed none the less sincere. After a good deal of correspondence from England had been taken in committee the follovfting telegram from Lord Bledisloe was received: "I wish all success to your deliberations, and that any differences between yourselves and the British authorities may ; be settled amicably and satisfactorily 1 by continued firendly negotiations." The following resolution submitted by Wanganui was passed unanimously: 'That a letter be forwarded to the 1 English Union and that it be assured of the"( New Zealand Union's conformity with and loyalty to the laws of the game as laid down in the handbook, but that the New Zealand Union opposes any alteration in the work ing of law 12 which would interfere with the New Zealand Union's customary interpretation, which permitted of replacements." The reasons for the- resolution were set out and offered in the discussion and all are to be considered by a special s,ub-committec set up to draft a letter of appeal to the English Union.

A motion was carried that it be recommended to the English authorities that injured players be replaced at any stage of the game by agreement between tk/e captains. The delegates outvoted by 37 votes to 31 a rho'fcion of recommending that teams to leave the Held at f half timet t While wore being cou'mea a delegate raised a P^Vjjt>J Jprd-er ■ that in view of the uiiilorraKing given at the last annual rteetingHliat the rules be followed in their entirety, and the motion was ruled out.