BRITISH TEAM’S TOUR

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 113, 25 February 1950, Page 2

BRITISH TEAM’S TOUR

FURTHER REVISION OF ITINERARY

RESTRICTION PLACED ON TRAVEL

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 24. To help in the selection of the New Zealand team for the first Rugby test against Britain on May 27, at Dunedin, two trial games will be held in Wellington on Tuesday, May 1(1. This decision was made by the Council of the New Zealand Rugby Union today, when arrangements were made for the visit of the British Rugby team.

Nominations for the Trials close on May 8. Nominations for the New Zealand and Island selectors close on April 27. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union is on April 28. Delegates will arrange their representative fixtures on the night of April 27. As a result of the late notification by the Home unions of the ban on air travel, an amended itinerary for the British team’s tour was submitted to to-day’s meeting. The chairman (Mr A. St. C. Belcher)' said earlier advice that the Home unions were prepared to consider flying the players out and home because of leave difficulties had led the New Zealand Rugby Union to believe that the. Home unions would agree to internal and trans-Tasman flying, and the itinerary was arranged accordingly. The decision on February 10 by the Home unions banning air travel had therefore jome as a surprise and the amended itinerary meant the loss of one playing Saturday, August 5, for which the fourth test had been set down at Wellington. The loss of that day meant the abandonment of the match against New Zealand universities, unless the Home unions were prepared to waive the week’s rest before the third test, now set down for Wellington, and agree to playing this game at Palmerston North oh June 27.

Itinerary Criticised Mr F. Sutherland (Auckland) criticised the itinerary for allocating separate matches to weaker unions such as Buller, West Coast, and AshburtonNorth Otago, while stronger North Island unions were grouped for one game. He also felt it was hard on the , visitors pitting them against Otago, the champion province, in the fourth game. An explanation of the difficulties in arranging the itinerary was given by Mr L. V. Carmine and Mr T. C. Morrison. One of the problems was to avoid clashing with major race days. No matter how the itinerary was drawn up, it presented problems. Mr A. McDonald considered the visitors should not be overtaxed to strike form early. - They, would be coming here immediately, on top of a heavy season at Home. As the tour was early, local players would not be at their peak in New Zealandand Otago might not be the formidable' proposition they would be later in the season. “Remember the first Ranfurly Shield match last year,” interjected the Buller representative (Mr W. Cradodck)) amid laughter. ' The revised itinerary for the 23 matches is:—

May 10, v combined team at Nelson; May 13, v. Buller, at Westport; May 16, v. West Coast, at Greymouth; May 20, v. Otago, at Dunedin; May 23, v. Southland, at Invercargill; May 27, FIRST TEST, at_ Dunedin; May 31, v. South Canterbury, at Timaru; June 3, v. Canterbury, at Christchurch; June 6, v. combined team, at Ashburton; June 10, SECOND TEST, at Christchurch; June 14, v. WairarapaBush, at Masterton; June 17, v. Hawke’s Bay, at Napier; June 21, v. combined team, at Gisborne; June 24, v. Wellington, at Wellington; July 1, THIRD TEST, at Wellington; July 5, v. Wanganui, at Wanganui; July S, v. Taranaki, at New Plymouth; July 12, v. Manawatu-Horowhenua, at Palmerston North; July 15, v. combined team, at Hamilton; July 19, v. North Auckland, at Whangarei; July 22, v. Auckland, at Auckland; July 20, FOURTH TEST ,at Auckland; August 2, v. New Zealand Maoris, at Wellington.

CANTERBURY REQUEST REFUSED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 24. The New Zealand Rugby Union Council to-day again refused a request from the Canterbury Union for the remission of entertainment expenses in connection with the Canterbury v. Australia and the North v. South matches last season. Canterbury, who asked for a return of £lO3, pleaded its small share (10 per cent.) of the takings.