2. It shall consist of six delegates from each Provincial Union which has three or more organised clubs; and Union having less than three Clubs shall be entitled to two representatives.
3. The object of the Union shall be the furtherance of Rugby Football in general, including the adoption and enforcement of a uniform code of laws in the Dominion, and establishment of a Championship of Canada, and Inter-provincial Matches.
4. The Union shall elect its own officers at the annual meeting; they shall consist of an Hon. President, President, Vice-President, and Secretary Treasurer.
5. The annual memberhip fee from each Provincial Union shall be Ten dollars.
6. The annual meeting shall be held at such time and place, before March, as the officers may determine; notice of the same is to be given one month beforehand to the Secretaries of the Provincial Unions.
7. All questions or disputes referred to the Union shall be decided by correspondence, unless considered by the officers of the Union of sufficient importance to be held over to the annual meeting. At all meetings seven shall form a quorum. Notices calling meetings must contain a summary of the business to come before the meeting.
8. Alterations in the Laws of the Game, and the Constitution of the Union, shall be made only at annual meetings, and by a two-thirds vote of those present at the meeting. Notice of the proposed alteration shall be given in writing to the Secretary of the Union at least three weeks before the date of the meeting, and notice of such proposed alteration shall be at once forwarded to each member of the Union by the Secretary.
PLAN OF THE FIELD
The Field of Play must not exceed 110 yards in length, nor 65 yards in breadth, and should be as near those dimensions as practicable.
1. A DROP KICK or DROP is made by letting the ball fall from the hands, and kicking it the very instant it rises.
2. A PLACE KICK or PLACE is made by kicking the ball after it has been placed in a nick made in the ground for the purpose of keeping it at rest.
3. A PUNT is made by letting the ball fall from the hands and kicking it before it touches the ground.
4. A FLYING KICK is made by kicking the ball from the field of play, without touching it with the hands.
5. EACH GOAL shall be comprised of two upright posts, at least 13 feet in height from the ground, and placed 18 feet 6 inches apart, with a cross-bar 10 feet from the ground.
6. A GOAL can only be obtained by kicking the ball from the field of play direct (i.e., without touching the ground or the dress or person of any player of either side) over the cross-bar of the opponents' goal, whether it touch such cross-bar, or the posts, or not; but if the ball goes directly over either of the goal posts it is not a goal. A goal may be obtained by any kind of kick except a punt.
7. The ball is dead when it rests absolutely motionless on the ground.
8. A TOUCH DOWN is when a player, putting his hand upon the ball, on the ground, in touch or in goal, stops it so that it remains dead, or fairly so.
9. A TRY is when a player makes a touch down in the opponents' goal.
10 A ROUGE is when a player makes a touch down in his own goal, or when the ball goes into touch in goal. (See Law 23.)
11. A SAFETY TOUCH is when a player kicks or carries the ball from the field of play, and he or one of his own side rouges it.
12. A match shall be decided by a majority of points. A goal kicked from a try shall count 8 points, and from the field 6; a try shall count 4; a safety-touch 2; a rouge 1. A majority of 2 points to decide a match, but if only rouges be scored there must be a majority of 4 points.
13. A TACKLE is when the holder of the ball is held by one or more players of the opposite side.
14. A SCRIMMAGE takes place when the holder of the ball, being in the field of play, puts it down on the ground in front of him, and all who have closed round on their respective sides endeavour to push their opponents back, and drive the ball with their feet in the direction of the opposite goal line. (See Law 51.) A scrimmage ceases to be a scrimmage when the ball is in touch or goal. Passing back through the scrimmage shall not be allowed, but shall count as an off-side play.
15. A player may take up the ball whenever it is rolling or bounding, except in a scrimmage.
16. It is not lawful to take up the ball when dead (see law 7) (except in order to bring it out after it has been touched down in touch or in goal) for any purpose whatever; whenever the ball shall have been so unlawfully taken up it shall at once be brought back to where it was so taken up and there put down.
17. In a scrimmage it is not lawful to touch the ball with the hand under any circumstances whatever.
18. It is lawful for any player who has the ball to run with it, and if he does so it is called A RUN. If a player runs with the ball until he gets behind his opponents' goal line and there touches it down, it is called a RUN IN.
19. It is lawful to run in anywhere across the goal line.
20. The goal line is in goal, and the touch line is in touch.
21. In the event of any player holding or running with the ball, being tackled, and the ball fairly held, he must at once cry down, and immediately put it down. The ball is fairly held, (1) when the holder cries down, (2) when it is not moving, (3) when more than two hands of the opposite side are on the ball. In any of these cases the ball shall be at once scrimmaged at the place where it was so held.
22. If when a player is holding or running with the ball, the ball is held inside his opponents' goal line before he touches it down, he shall score a try; if inside his own goal line it shall count as a safety touch. A goal cannot be from a try so scored, and the ball shall be returned to play, as provided by law 42.
23. TOUCH IN GOAL (see plan.) Immediately the ball, whether in the hands of a player or not, goes into touch in goal, it is at once dead and out of the game, and must be brought out as provided by laws 41 and 42.
24. Every player in on side, but is off side if he enters a scrimmage from his opponents' side, or being in a scrimmage gets in front of the ball; or when the ball has been kicked, touched, or is being run with by any of his own side behind him i.e., between himself and his own goal line. No player can be off side in his own goal.
25. Every player when off side is out of the game, and shall not touch the ball in any case whatever, either in or out of touch or goal, or in any way interrupt or obstruct any player, until he is again on side. In case any player plays the ball when he is off side, the captain of the opposite side may claim that the ball be taken back and put down where it was last played before the off side play occurred.
26. A Player being off side is put on side when the ball has been run five yards with, or having been kicked by, or having touched the dress or person of any player of the opposite side, has moved five yards [sic]; or when one of his own side has run in front of him either with the ball or having kicked it when behind him.
27. When a player has the ball, none of his opponents who at the time are off side may commence or attempt to run, tackle, or otherwise interrupt such player, until he has run five yards or taken his kick. But if any player when off side tackles, or in any way interferes with an opponent who has the ball before such opponent has run five yards or taken his kick, the captain of the opposite side may claim a free kick for the player so interfered with; such free kick shall be either a punt or a drop-kick from the place where the interference took place, and shall be taken in accordance with conditions in Law 44. Such free kick shall not count a goal.
28. THROWING BACK. It is lawful for any player who has the ball to throw or pass it to any player of his own side who is at the time on side, i.e., not in front of him.
29. KNOCKING ON, i. e. hitting the ball forward with the hand, and throwing forward, i. e., throwing the ball in the direction of the opponents' goal line, are not lawful. If the ball be either knocked on or thrown forward the captain of the other side may, unless a fair catch has been made (as provided by the next law), require to have it brought back to the spot where it was so knocked or thrown on, and there put down.
30. A FAIR CATCH is a catch made direct from a kick or a throw forward, or a knock on by one of the opposite side provided the catcher makes a mark with his heel at the spot where he made the catch, and no other of his own side touches the ball. (See Laws 43 and 44.)
31. TOUCH (see plan.) If a ball goes into touch, a player on the side other than that whose player last touched it in the field of play must bring it to the spot where it crossed the touch line; or if a player when running with the ball cross or put any part of either foot across the touch line, he must return with the ball to the spot where the line was so crossed, and thence return it into the field of play in one of the modes provided by the following Law.
32. He must then himself, or by one of his own side, either (1) bound the ball in the field of play at right angles to where it crossed the touch line, and then run with it, kick it, or throw it back to his own side; or (2) throw it out at right angles to the touch line; or (3) walk out with it at right angles to the touch line, any distance not less than five or more than fifteen yards, and there put it down, first declaring how far he intends to walk out.
33. If two or more players holding the ball are pushed into touch, the ball shall being in touch to the player who first had hold of it in the field of play, and has not released his hold of it.
34. If the ball is not thrown out straight, the captain of the opposite side may claim to bring it out as in Law 32.
35. A catch made when the ball is thrown out of touch is not a fair catch.
36. KICK OFF is a place kick from the centre of the field of play, and cannot count as a goal. The opposite side must stand at least ten yards in front of the ball until it has been kicked. If the ball pitch is touched, the captain of the opposite side may claim to have it kicked off again.
37. The ball shall be kicked off (1) at the commencement of the game, (2) after a goal has been obtained, (3) after change of goals at half time.
38. Each side shall play from either goal for an equal time.
39. The captains of the respective sides shall toss up before the commencement of the match. The winner of the toss shall have the option of the choice of goals, or the kick off.
40. Whenever a goal shall have been obtained, the side which has lost the goal shall then kick off. When goals are changed at half time, the side which did not kick off at the commencement of the game shall then kick off.
41. KICK OUT is a drop kick by one of the players of the side which has had to touch the ball down in their own goal or into whose touch in goal the ball has gone, (Law 23) and is the mode of bringing the ball again into play, and cannot count as a goal.
42. KICK OUT must be a drop kick, and from not more than twenty-five yards outside the kicker's goal line; if the ball when kicked out pitch in touch, the captain of the opposite side may claim to have it kicked out again. The kicker's side must be behind the ball when kicked out; and the opposite side may not obstruct such kicker within 25 yards of his own goal line.
43. A player who has made and claimed a fair catch shall thereupon either take a drop kick or a punt, or place the ball for a place kick.
44. After a fair catch has been made, the opposite side may come up to the catcher's mark and the catcher's side retiring, the ball shall be kicked from such mark or from a spot any distance behind it in a straight line, parallel with the touch lines.
45. A player may touch the ball down in his own goal at any time.
46. A side having touched the ball down in their opponents' goal, shall try at goal in the following manner. One of the players shall bring it up to the goal line in a straight line (i. e., parallel to the touch lines,) from the spot where it was so touched down, (unless between the goal posts, in which case he shall bring it up to either post,) and then make a mark on the goal line, and thence walk out with it in a line, not more in front of the goal than his mark, and then place it for another of his side to kick.
47. The defending side may charge as soon as the ball touches the ground, the kicker's side must remain behind the ball until the try has been decided. Is a goal be kicked, the game shall proceed as provided by Law 36, but if only a try be kicked, or if the bringer-out fail to make a mark on the goal line, or any of his side touch the ball before it is kicked, the ball shall be dead forthwith, and the game shall proceed by a kick out as provided by Law 42.
48. CHARGING, i. e., rushing forward to kick the ball or tackle a player is lawful for the opposite side, in all cases of a place kick after a fair catch or upon a try at goal, immediately the ball touches or is placed on the ground: and in cases of a drop kick or punt after a fair catch, as soon as the player having the ball commences to run or offers to kick, the ball has touched the ground; but he may always dray back, and unless he has dropped the ball or actually touched it with his foot, they must again retire to his mark, (see Law 49.) Except in a scrimmage it is not lawful for a player to charge against or obstruct any opponent unless such opponent is holding the ball, or such player is himself running at the ball.
49. In case of a fair catch, the opposite side may come up to and charge from anywhere on or behind a line drawn through the mark made by the player who has made the catch, and parallel to their own goal line. In all cases the kicker's side must not be before the ball when it is kicked, and may not charge until it has been kicked. If after a fair catch, more than one player of the attacking side touch the ball before it is kicked, the opposing side may charge forthwith.
50. If a player charge before he has a right to do so, and by so doing has in the opinion of the Referee affected the kick, the kicker may have his kick over again.
51. NO HACKING or HACKING OVER, or RIPPING UP or SCRAGGING shall be allowed under any circumstances, and no one shall intentionally tackle another below the knees. No one wearing projecting nails, iron plates, or gutta percha on any part of his boots or shoes shall be allowed to play in a match.
52. In case of a law being broken or any irregularity of play occurring on the part of either side, not otherwise provided for, or any case arising which it is impossible to decide either, the Referee shall order such compromise to be made as he may see fit.
53. If any player persistently violates any of the laws of the game or makes any unfair or rough play, the Referee shall warn him, and if he continue the Referee may rule him out of the game, and no substitute shall be allowed.
54. In all matches where Umpires or Referees are appointed, it shall be their duty to decide any disputes which may be referred to them, but they shall not in any way interfere with the players to give any decision unless appealed to. When the Umpires disagree, the Referee shall be appealed to, whose decision on points of the game shall be final. If the Captain of either side challenge the construction placed upon any law, he shall have the right of appeal to the CANADIAN RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION.
55. Neither half-time nor no side shall be called until the ball is fairly held or goes out of play, and in the case of a try or fair catch, the kick at goal only shall be allowed.
THE CANADIAN RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION view with grave apprehension the fact that a number of clubs now seem to make a point of playing to the letter instead of the spirit of the law, and at the same time recognise that it is impossible, and ought to be unnecessary to legislate against this evil. They earnestly appeal to the different clubs in Canada to unite in an effort to suppress this quibbling spirit, leaving laws for the book, when their absence does not interfere with the real intention and spirit of the grand old Rugby Game.
In law commencing "The field of play," for "should be as near," etc., read "shall be as near."
To law commencing "The field of play," add "The size of the ball shall be No. 5 match ball."
In law 54, instead of the words "but they shall not in any way interfere with the players, or give any decision unless appealed to," read "and enforce the laws of the game."