Osborne unavailable

Press, 16 April 1979, Page 3

Osborne unavailable

PA Wellington The All Black centre Bill Osborne has been named in the Maori team to tour Australia and the Pacific next month, despite the claim he made in London last week that he was not available. Osborne, who went .to South Africa for the recent international invitation series of matches and is currently on the British Barbarians’ annual Easter tour of Wales, told the Press Asso-, ciation in London on Wednesday that he had declared himself unavailable for the Maoris’ tour. Ivan Vodanovich, who will manage the touring team, said the Wanganui union was “ignorant or uninformed of Osborne’s unavailabiity.” [ The selectors named 25 players for the tour. The team is Andy Baker (Waikato), Mike Burgoynej (North Auckland). Bill’Bush; (Canterbury,), Eddie Dunn

I (North Auckland), Richard Dunn (Auckland). Shane Gibbons (Canterbury), Steven Griffin (North Auckland), Jim Love (Marlborough), Mike McCallion (Counties), Maia Melsom (Waikato), Norm Morrow (Waikato), Felix O’Carroll (Taranaki), Bill Osborne (Wanganui), Paul Quinn (Wellington), Chippie Semenoff (North Auckland), Frank Shelford (Bay of Plenty), Vance Stewart (Canterbury). Eddie Stokes (Bay of Plenty), Leon Toki, I (Auckland), Frank Walker '(Wellington), Casey Wanoa I (Bay of Plenty), Paul Wharejhoka (Taranaki), Tu Wylie (Wellington). Fred Woodman '(North Auckland), Pat Yates i(Counties). I The captain will be announced after this week’s I N.Z.R.F.U. council meeting. [The team will assemble in i Auckland on Sunday, April 29 and leave for Brisbane on Wednesday, May 2.