Transvaal tour of France disrupted

Press, 12 April 1979, Page 34

Transvaal tour of France disrupted

NZPA-Reuter Paris A tour of France by an all-white South African Transvaal Rugby Union side has virtually been wiped out with the cancellation of three of the four planned matches. The matches, set for Dax, in south-west France, yesterday, in La Voulte, in the south, on Saturday, and in Nice, on the Riviera, on April 18 were cancelled by the mayors of the towns. The last match, against the Paris University club team on April 21, will probably not take place either, according to the club-chair-man (Gerard Krotoff). A spokesman for the Nice Municipal Council said the match there had been cancelled on the advice of French rugby and Government authorities.

In Britain, the All Black midfield back Mark Taylor, who turned down an invitation to join Frank Oliver’s “world” team, has now accepted an invitation to join the Middlesex County side on a six-match tour of South Africa next month. He qualifies for Middlesex, one of six British sides tour-' ing South Africa this year, through living in London since December and by playing for the leading London club, Wasps. In New Zealand, the All Black lock Andy Haden has three weeks to decide if he will play rugby in South Africa or New Zealand this season. He confirmed yesterday that he had received several offers to play a season of rugby in South Africa. He had almost given away any idea of accepting but after talking it over with his wife, Trisch, he had had second thoughts.