RUGBY.

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18642, 21 May 1932, Page 18 (Supplement)

RUGBY.

• . SEASON IN HAMILTON.

THE PLAY AND THE PLAYERB. NOTES AND COMMENTS. I have often wondered why- so many goal-kickers laboriously make, a hole big enough to hide their boots when having a shot. I have noted famous kickers simply screw a mark with the heel for the purpose, with excellent results. Tlic gouging out of bJg holes is a dangerous practice and may result in a wrenched ankle or broken leg, besides affording a lodging place for water during rain.

Queer Interpretation.

In scrum play at Rugby Park oji Saturday I noted a queer Interpretation of. the rule relative to a shot at goal. The player misled his opponents Into the belief -that he intended to take a place kick, but altered his mind and took a punt instead". This is' contrary to the law on the point and ilhc pla'ce kick should have been insisted on.

While on the subject of place kicks at goal, players on the opposite side must remain passive. I have noted players, although not on the mark, deliberately move across tho line of vision just as the kicker makes his run. This may, of course, be quite inadvertent, but the referee woud be quite justified in construing it as deliberate, and award another kick. Try That Was Lost. Considerable amusement was caused on one occasion in the FranlctonOld Boys’ match, when a certain try was snatched from Old Boys by a'fast Frankton player. Old Boys broke clean away, and It was only a matter of grounding the -ball, but the player in possession was probably the most surprised man on the ground when a blue and black jerseyed individual beat 'him to the post. In football, as in all other things, there’s “many a slip.” One can just imagine the feelings of the. selector and team coach should such an Incident happen In an important representative fixture. The player concerned will possibly never bo caught again under -similar circumstances.

Need for Action. Football brings out, as does all. ■sport, the best qualities of its devotees —or the worst—and the player in one ol our senior teams who was seen Indulging in the “rabbit” punch during a “scrum” on No. 2 ground, had best refrain In future, ere trouble befall him. The writer can And somepalliation for an exchange of blows during a hot'rally, but the individual who deliberately stoops to foul play of the natuiS mentioned should get his marching orders out of the game for' good. The power given in the League •game to line umpires to point out to ■the referee gross offences of this nature seems to me a most efficacious method that might well be adopted in the Union game. Packing New Scrum. It will ho of intrest to clubs generally in know that the Waikato Union has received from-'Mr W. \,T. Wallace detailed instructions with regard to the correct method of packing Die now scrum formation. These arc to be, issued to all clubs under the Waikato Union’s jurisdiction, and should prove of considerable worth to club coaches. Mr Wallace has gone to considerable trouble in setting out his instructions, and no doubt ail teams in the Waikato will find the advice of such ,a wellknown authority on the game, of inestimable value.