RUGBY LAWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20887, 17 November 1937, Page 5

RUGBY LAWS

FEW ALTERATIONS DESIRED CRITICISM OF GOVERNING BODY By Telegraph—Pre's Association WELLINGTON, Nov. 16. The attitude the New Zealand Rugby Union had taken up following the Springboks’ successes in the Test matches was anything but complimentary to the Springboks, said Mr J. N. Millard, chairman of the management committee of the Wellington Rugby Union, at a meeting to-night. The New Zealand Union appeared to imagine there was something radically wrong with the game in this country, whereas the simple explanation was that the other side had been far too good for us.

Mr J. T. King said that the New Zealand Union appeared as if they wished to put the blame for New Zealand’s defeats in the Test matches on to the provincial unions. Mr H. T. Bollard suggested that the books of rules issued from time to time to the schools should contain hints upon coaching. Mr Millard stated that the Rugby handbook edited by Messrs T. A. Fletcher and W. J. Wallace had been very helpful in this direction. The secretary, Mr A. E. Neilson, said that thousands of these handbooks had been sent out to schools in all parts of the Dominion.

Mr Millard agreed that the handbook should be brought up to date every few years and sent out to the schools. The New Zealand Union should be advised to obtain a report from its selectors and those who had watched the Springboks in action upon New Zealand’s weakness in scrum formation. In the Dominion they did not know how to pack a 4—3—l scrum, and it was senseless to talk about reverting to the 23 —2 scrum. The reason the 2—3—2 scrum had been discarded was because with such a dia-mond-shaped formation It was impossible to get the ball when opposed by a three fronted scrum. The New Zealand Union should obtain a report from competent observers of the Springboks upon New Zealand's weaknesses with the three fronted scrum. That report, if it were obtained, could be incorporated in the school handbook.

With regard to suggestions for remits for the Imperial Rugby Conference, Mr Millard said they should advise the New Zealand Union that the unions and clubs desired as few alterations to the laws as possible.