RUGBY RULINGS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 117, 20 May 1932, Page 4

RUGBY RULINGS

MORE ABOUT HOOKING (By '‘Atkey.”) Captains should note that nowadays they can have two spells only of 40 minutes each—the old-time dispensation of four 20-minutc spells being wiped out, in the new' rules. Two good spells of 40 minutes each should favour the light-weight fastmoving team, provided thev can get the ball. Hooking. Chatting last week to an old enthusiast in the game one was agreeably surprised to learn that even in those days (io is much in favour of the “outside leg” swinging hooker. There is much in his contention and even with a throefronted scrummage two outside leg hookers should be far superior to the one hooker which the present day serum depends upon. Also “outside leg’’ hooking would ensure a fairer go in tho scrummage as well as making tilings easier for the referee. In any case there is no reason why our “two hookerss” system should be entirely scrapped as the third man in front, doesn’t do much in any case. After numerous experiments I think our scrummers will eventually come back to this; two to do the hooking the other to keep the opponents busy. This Scrummage. There is still some doubt as to how and when the ball can be hooked under the new scrummage formation and several correspondents wish for further information thereon. Really speaking there is no more difficulty now than under tho old two-fronted scrummage and the rule leaves no possible doubt as to whatxis intended. In short, with i a three-fronted scrummage, the ball can only be hooked when it has passed three feet of the front row men in each scrummage. This is definite enough and shows conclusively that the hookers should use the fourth foot to be within the law. Of course a hooker can follow tho ball round with the third foot, provided the ball has actually passed that foot, and he would be quite correct in law. Altogether there are many ways of hooking which the three men in front can indulge in—that is only a matter for experiment, and so long as . the third foot is not used as in the “inside leg” hooking players cannot fo far wrong. Two Versus Three. Since Wanganui has adopted the three-fronted scrum all teams have an oven break, but in some parts of the district the two front scrummage is still operating, but even here there should be little difficulty in coping with the situation against the, three men in front as per our illustration.

The ball in this case must pass the third foot of the three fronted team because even though it has previously passed both feet of a player of each team it is only then fairly in the scrummage—the hooking, a subsequent act coming only when the ball is approxi mately at scrum centre. “Fairly In.”

This term has apparently been the cause of the scrummage difficulty inasmuch as players have taken it to mean that they can “hook” so soon as the ball is fairly in, but in the light of Clause L (hooking) “fairly in” can only be meant to apply to the manner vt putting the baT in and to the man doing tho putting in. Both tho man putting the ball in and the manner in which ho puts it in may bo penalised (fre kick) so that “fairly in” simply means that the man has put the bn 11 in straight—and it has touched the ground and has passed both feet of a player of each team. “Jellicoe Street.”

In reply to your question it must be obvious to everybody that the man placing the ball is in an off-side position, but for the time being ho is a privileged person and cannot be ruled against unless he does things he is not entitled to do.

For instance, he must not pretend to place tho ball and then lift it up again as soon as the opponents charge. Any player may handle or place the ball provided that the placer and the kicker uro different persons. At no time during the taking of a kick at goal can the placer be deemed as being offsidethat is according to rule and this being so he cannot bo ruled against. Thanks for diagram—it put your question very clearly. Write again.

Rule Books. “Turn kina” and “Up River.”— Sorry I cannot forward rule books this week, but will post same as soon as tho fresh supply comes to hand. Meanwhile send along your questions. At Half-Time. Following tho pronouncement by the New Zealand Union tho local union has decided to fall into line and keep players on tho field at half-time, and after years of laxity in this matter players will take it hard to have to say, Please Sir, may I leave the field.” Sounds silly of course, but it. is a fetish at Home and wo must fall into line to be Internationally on side. Anyway if players stay on or leave tho field referees should spc to it that the players return within live minutes. For Tricky Half-backs. Replying to a query from Taranaki tho N.Z. Referees’ Association has decided that the half-back may put. a foot into the scrummage and endeavour to hook tho ball provided ho docs not remain with either foot in front of the ball. A bit Irish maybe is this reply, but every referee should sco what the rule means and provided there is no loitering by the half-back this conception should not, be, difficult, to administer. Common sense will help every referee in this matter. Wild and Woolly. From the West Coast a question was asked that, if, when n. player was taking a kick at goal the opposing team’s supporters baulked him by yelling out and making a demonstration, would tho referee bp justified in awarding another

Of course the reply was, “No—certainly not,” although there have been numerous occasions when referees would undoubtedly have liked to have done so. “Py Kony.” Ina recent country match in our district several dink urn scraps took place around tho ground and naturally this hostility extended to the poor referee, and this official nearly collapsed when a dusky spectator bowled out, “Py korry, ref. if I had the plurry horns I’d chase you.” A bull-fighter pre sumably. An Instruction. From the N.Z. Union comes a reminder that all referees should strictly enforce Rulo 34—Misconduct. This is as it should be albeit the, rule, has never merited the attention it. should do, inasmuch as lots of players take the risk and do things which arc not within the law. One phase of this rule, however, should bo sternly dealt with and that, is when, during a ruck scrum, some wild and woolly gentleman makes a belated appearance and heralds his arrival by booting (hacking) for all ho is worth without any regard to the position of tho ball. Onlookers like this as little as do those unfortunate chaps who stop the kicks. A Warning. Because of the multiplicity of the rules and the interpretation thereof, referees in general should remember that tho “ Advantage Rule” was never more applicable than it is to-day and with this and their own common sense at their command, plus physical fitness, the game can still be as fast, as it was during tho days of the glorious 1905-8 All Blacks. Question Box. Don’t forget, the Question Box in vestibule of Roberton’s Sweet Shop. Fans’ or players’ questions.