THE RULES OF RUGBY

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1932, Page 11

THE RULES OF RUGBY

CLOSE OF TARANAKI SEASON A COLUMN OF GENERALITIES. RECENT RULINGS DISCUSSED. (By “Referee.”) If a player be on-side when an opponent secures the ball no act of his own or of his opponents can place him off-side while the opposition has possession of the ball. A player running for the ball may charge an opponent also running for the ball, but such charge may be only shoulder to shoulder.

A player overtaking an opponent also running for the ball must not push him from behind unless the opponent be stooping to pick up the ball. A fair catch is made and the whistle is blown. In spite of this an opponent unfairly charges an opponent. The referee may substitute a penalty kick for the free kick.

When a charge has been disallowed the kicker cannot be changed although the place may be altered and the player placing the ball may be changed. If a’ player by his action makes the opposite team believe' that he is going to take a place kick and then without warning takes a punt or drop-kick the referee shall insist that the place kick be taken.

If the referee whistles for a no charge as the kick is in the act of being taken, and a goal result, it shall stand. If the kick be not successful the kicker may have another kick without the charge. If the player claiming a fair catch be injured so that ne cannot take the kick within three minutes the kick is void and a scrummage shall be formed at the mark. If a penalty kick be awarded and because of an infringement by the opposing team, a second kick be allowed, the same player must take the-second kick but it need not be the same kind of kick as taken in the first instance. The kick after a try must be a place kick, and must be taken. Shouting by a defending team during a kick at goal after a try, penalty or fair catch, with intent to put the kicker off his kick, shall be treated as “misconduct.” A player lying on the ground may, except in a scrummage or after a tackle, reach out and get possession of the ball. He may also pass < kick the ball without getting up. A player “off-side” must not even stand still if in the way of his opponents, so as to hinder them. He must o-et out of the way, and beyond the ten yards limit. To remain within the ten yards limit is an act of obstruction. A player “off-side” may intercept a pass from an opposing player, provided the off-side player was outside the ten yards limit, when the first opposing player received the ball. NEW LAWS CRITICISED.' From a referee’s point of view I am firmly convinced that the game of Rugby is overburdened with rules. How often does one hear from old players that football is not as good now as in their day? This is only natural. Rugby is just as good to-day as it was in the early day:; but it has been slowed up by new laws and rules. Instead of framing laws to make the game attractive the° International Board (if it may be called so) is wasting time over ridiculous things as:— „ (1) Not allowing players off the field at half-time. (2) Non-replacement of injured players, etc. We eay that Rugby is a game. Why not keep it a game and introduce into it a true spirit of sportsmanship. The Tukapa v. Star match would have been robbed of all its interest had not the injured players been replaced by other players. , Take the hooking law for example. Why all this about lifting feet, etc? Would it not be better to say that any foot could hook once the ball was fairly in the scrummage, i.e. when it has passed two feet of a player on either side? Regard, for example, the taking of a fair catch by making a mark on the ground with the heel, simultaneously with catching the ball. Under the old rules many clever marks were taken off the feet of the opposing forwards, and thoroughly deserved. THE PASS FORWARD. In a passing rush a scrummage is riven for a pass forward to your own man. This should be off-side and a penalty Kick awarded. Obstruction should be firmly dealt with. I would go so far as to say that in any obstruction to prevent a try beinw scored the full penalty should be immediately given—that is, a penalty try. Quite a number of referees will no doubt say that a lot might have happened later and a try may not have been scored. It is not what might have happened. The ruling should be for what has happened. I would not like to close without thankinw the know-alls up on the bank for all° their kindly advice given to the referees during, the 1932 season. Kick into touch; The present law has slowed the game up. Why not revert to a line-out from where the player kicked, outside the 25 yards lines? It would be interesting for a timekeeper to take off all the time from when the whistle is blown until the o-ame is again resumed. Out of two 45 minutes’ spells I think we would only get 45 minutes actual play. In. conclusion I would like to thank all the senior and junior teams for the sportsmanship displayed during the 1932 season, and for the excellent manner in which they have accepted the referees’ rulings. The perfect referee has never been found yet, and I venture to say never will be. The players have played their best for the respective teams, and the referees have done their best to control the various games. When a man is doing his best and playing the game for the sake of the o-ame, keeping it clean, wholesome and attractive, the good old game of Rugby will always reign supreme.