The San Francisco call., 1909-06-27
NEW RUGBY RULES.
IN QUEENSLAND
CHOSEN
Alterations Adopted May Be
Brought Back by Coach
Schaeffer
By WILLIAM UNMACK

The last Australian mail brought
news of definite alterations to the laws
of Rugby IN the antipodes. Coach
Schaeffer of the California university
team is at present in Australia making
a study of the game. and he will no
doubt look very closely into the alter
atoms of the rules.
Queensland has been the first to make
the needed changes, and New Zealand
is said to be following the action of
the Queensland union. so that the two
countries will work in unison for the
same style of game in the southern
seas.
New South Wales up till the mail
left had not made anysdefinite step to-
ward altering the rules. but with her
two competitive countries going ahead
of her, 1t will be almost essential that
she make some notifications along the
same lines.
The alterations accepted are the same
ones that the Australian unions placed
before the governing body in London
last month. The amendments will
greatly improve the game, without get
ting away from the fundamental prln-
ciples, and furthermore, should the
English. union fail to sanction the al
without any Inconvenience, revert to
the old rules and play the Englishmen
at their own game when occasion de-
mands.
Coming now to our own Rugby, every
one of the colonists' alterations would
be good for US to take up locally. UP
till the last mail three amendments
had been thoroughly thrashed out and
finally accepted by the Queensland
d, nlaV06
to here, would be the cause OF big
Improvement in local play, and would
also do away with a lot of unnecessary
rough play on the lineouts. The new
rules are as follows:
.First-That in a lineout the ball
must be thrown at beast five CD yards
from the touch lines, and at right
angles to it.
'.Second-That no player shall ad-
vance beyond an imaginary line drawn
through the back row of the serum
mage while the ball is being serum
mayed.
"Third-That in every case when
referee orders a serum the referee hlm-
self shall put the ball in
In regard to the first rule there
might be some misunderstanding as 10
the five yard line, but this would
come entirely under the jurisdiction
of the referee. Again this rule would
entirely do away with the cutting In
of the backs The 'cutin' could only
be made outside the five yard limit.
The first rule, If applied 10 locdl
Rupbv would be the means of consld-
erably opening up the game, besides
tending very materially to lessen the
evils otherwise mentioned
Rule . practically does away with
the wing forward altogether It gives
the halfback gaining possession OF the
ball greater opportunities 10 get ms
mass away clean1y and quickly TO MS
hacks. and in this way materially
onens up the game for the back divi-
sion IT is more of the machine like
precision In the passing rushes as
shown us by the "All Blacks in 1906
and the "Wallabies" this year thae Is
needed to make the game more open
and exciting for both players ana spec
tators.
Rule 3 is a point that the writer has
long urged When the wing forward
was first introduced to Australia, ana
that player made the innovation or
putting the ball in the serum, 1t called
forth strong protests from every one
in any way connected with the game
in the capacity of player or referee
The return to the days of old OF the
referee putting the ball in the serum
is not going backward. but is big
step forward, and one that will be ap-
preciated by all followers of the game
here.
Besides the above accepted rules
there are others which were to be
brought forward at the next meeting
of the Queensland union. They are as
follows:
cal That when player deliberately into
touch with the ball the ball should be given to
(b9 That charges in free and penalty kicks.
and kicks at goal be abolished.
Cc) When side saves the ball shall be
kicked from the goal line instead Of from line
% yards out
(d) In regard to a player being tackled and
falling on the ball. be be allowed TO pass the
ball. provided it is passed Immediately.
1t is the consensus of opinion in the
Queensland sporting sheets that "a
and &c" will meet with little or no
support.
s'B" is said to have some chance of
going through but opinions are di-
vided Amendment Cd will in all prob
ability go through with little opposi-
ton
Another point that is going to be
brought up is the matter of knock
on" 1t happens in almost every match
that a splendid rush is brought to
naught and the whole game spoiled
when the ball touches mans fingers
and knock on" is whistled In this
matter the Australians are of the opin-
ion that referees should be given
much more liberal rule to interpret. so
as to remove from the game an obvious
weakness.