IMPORTANT NEW RUGBY RULE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17524, 29 April 1925, Page 4

IMPORTANT NEW RUGBY RULE.

NO REPLACEMENTS AFTER HALF TIME. In accordance with notice Dr YV. S. Seed moved at last evening’s meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Union; “That iio replacements of injured players should take place after half time.” The mover said he did not think it was a fair thing to place the responsibility of replacements on the captains of the teams. In the game of cricket a man injured in the first innings could not bat in tiie second innings. Tile present rule was open to abuse- and a club could keep a good man on the line and bring him on late in the game. Tins might make all the difference between a win and a loss as he understood happened in a match last year. Mr J. Iv. Moloney seconded the motion . Mr G . .P. Payne said there was another side to the question and the public had to be considered. If no replacemeats were al lowed good men might be mar lied and if injured it would be of much benefit to the opposing side. They should be very careful over the matter. Personally he would like to see the captains agree on the matter before going on to the field. -Mr C. S. M’Cully thought the captains would never bother about the matter. Mr A. Duggan said that if two players on one side collided and became severely injured it would mean that fifteen men would be playing thirteen. The game would be “gone ” from a public point of view and through no fault of unsoundness on the part of the 1 In reply to Mr E. V. Phillips, Dz Seed said lie intended his motion to apply to all grades. Mr Moloney said they should have a hard ami fast rule. They could allow any number of replacements in th first half and that would be quite fair. Mr 1C W. Britton said there should J cither be no replacements at all or they should leave things as they ara at present. Mr A. M'Phail agreed with this ! view. Some of the speakers must have j some bad cases at the back of their minds. He would be in favour of the alteration if Jie could see any real reason for it. It was an amateur game and they expected the men to play fairly (hear, hear). lie did not know of any illegal practices which desired checking. Mr Phillips said that after all the game was a sport. Trie emergencies went down Saturday after Saturday and they might have no chance to prove themselves if the rule were put into operation. No captain would be u?isporting enough to say that a man could not be replaced. Mr Payne; Could we not limit the replacements to one forward and one back ? Mr S. F. ‘Wilson said ho was going to support the motion He had brought the matter up two 3,-ears ago, not because anyone had “pointed” or was ever likely to “point.” Jf they were alcwed to replace three or four men at any time- during a game a club would have these men on the ground ready to go on. It would be better for the emergencies to play in the juniors than Ito risk a game in the seniors. If two men were injured on one side that would bo bad luck. He thought thattwo fresh men coming on late in a game gave the side-receiving them a decided advantage. Replacing up till half time was a fair thing. The chairman (Mr A. Dey), said he thought the biggest argument in favoui of the motion was that it would reduce the number of players on the bank. Mr M’Phail repeated that he- could see no real reason for changing the present rule. He could not remember anything of any moment which made a team win or lose- the championship. It would be a lamentable exhibition in a final game to see one side two or three men short. The chairman: It would be-equally- as bad to see a side win with the aid of two or throb fresh players. The great thing about it would be that it would take tlio responsibility off the captains Mr Payne moved an amendment that a maximum of one back and one for ward lie allowed replacement. Mr Wilson: The trouble will be to de. fine which is which. Mr Payne altered his amendment to read that two players on either side may be replaced at any part of the game. No replacements might be needed at all in the first spell, yet five rain utes alter re-starting one or more men might be injured. Mr M’Phail seconded the amendment Air A. Duggan raised the point about men leaving the field early in the match and being replaced and then when a third man was injured one of the two might desire to go on again. Mr Wilson pointed out that once a player was replaced he was out of the game. The amendment was lost by six votes to live, those voting for it being Messrs Phillips, Duggan, Payne, Britton arid M’Pliai!, and those against Messrs M’Cully. North, Allard, Wilson, Moloney and Dr Seed. Mr M’Phail then moved a further amendment “That the matter be left over until the next general meeting o.c delegates.” Mr Bayne seconded this. The amendment was lost and ihe motion carried, the voting being six to five in each, instance.