ROUGH RUGBY

Waikato Times, Volume 117, Issue 19600, 12 June 1935, Page 8

ROUGH RUGBY

PLAY IN HAMILTON.

players stood down.

AGAINST SPIRIT OF GAME.

A warning that any players ordered off the field for tactics not in keeping with the true spirit of Rugby would be very severely dealt with was issued by the management committee of the Hamilton Rugby Union last evening when dealing with Geoff. Chitty (Old Boys) and Harold Hall (Frankton), who were ordered off the field during the Frankton-Old Boys match on Saturday. A letter was read from the referee, Rev. P. C. S. Sergei, who stated that shortly after the start of the game play became unnecessarily rough and ill temper became evident. He saw’ Geoff. Chitty and Snodgrass on the ground, and seeing Chitty strike at Snodgrass cautioned him. A few minutes later Chitty and Halt emerged fighting from a scrum and he ordered them off. Both Chitty and Hall were called in and asked lor explanations in committee and the meeting had a long discussion on the incidents in committee after the players had retired. Opinion of Meeting. The tone of the meeting was definitely against any action by a player, that was detrimental to the spirit of Rugby. A motion that the players be stood down for one playing Saturday was followed by two amendments, one increasing the penalty to two Saturdays and one letting them off with a caution. The voting was extremely close, the original motion that the players be stood down for one Saturday being carried. When the penalty was conveyed to the players it was pointed out that It was evident that the referee had to take a stand In the matter and though, the players might have been unfortunate in being caught while others were not the referee had caught them and the referee’s decision would be upheld. The question of a Frankton junior player who was ordered off for fighting and answering back to the referea on June 1 also ocupied a great deal of time. The Junior Board’s recommendation that the player, who was automatically suspended from the junior representative trial match on June 3, he suspended for one Satur* day was eventually confirmed.