Rugby Council talks on S.A. in private

Press, 19 April 1979, Page 32

Rugby Council talks on S.A. in private

PA Wellington: The council of the New, Zealand Rugby Football] Union shied away yesterday] from discussing in open ses-l sion the controversial visit to South Africa by eight All

I Blacks and three council] ‘members. The council chairman (Mr IC. A. Blazey) told the counI cil when media representatives were present that the 'Northern Transvaal union’s .tour had been placed on the

in-committee agenda for dis-] cussion. Mr R. M. Don, one of the! councillors who visited i South Africa, asked why this had been done. “If the discussion will involve the three councillors who went to South Africa, I think it should be discussed in the open,” he said. “We are all aware of the uninformed, emotive and inflammatory statements that have appeared over this issue. If any question is to be asked of those involved. I would prefer that they be discussed in open committee.” Mr Blazey said the matter had been placed on the incommittee agenda not because of the involvement of the three councillors, but so he himself could give an ‘account of the discussion he had had on the tour while in | London for the International (Rugby Board meeting. | There was no response from councillors when Mr ; Blazey asked if there were any other comments to be [made in open session. ! Matches between provincial B teams in the new rej serve division of the natI ional rugbv championshin, will not be of first-grade 'status, the council decided. The council had been asked to rule on the status of the matches and Mr Blazey said the policy of the N.Z.R.F.U. had always been that for a match to be recognised as first-class, one of the teams involved had to be a provincial A team. In matches involving named teams, first-class status was granted after an examination of the teams involved and where the maior- ; ity of players were provincial A representatives.

“Under that criterion [matches between two B teams do not qualify, he said.

The council adopted a resolution that in accordance with existing rules, the matches not be granted firstclass status.

Two sitting members were defeated when .elections were held for the union’s junior and teen-age committee.

Mr W. I. Cruden (North Island) and Mr B. T. Mulcahv (South Island) failed to win’ re-election when councillors of the union voted m a new committee. Four ballots were necessary to elect the four North Island representatives, with the South Islanders all elected on the first ballot.

The new committee is.— North Island: Messrs R. W. Caulton. H. J. McGowan R. J. Preston, R. W. Reardon. South Island: Messrs M. R. Barnett. B. A. Malcolm. W. O Todd, S. J. Wilson.

South Island members of the Maori Advisory Board are Messrs M. Rangi (Nelson Bays - Marlborough-West Coast-Buller), and R. T. Bunker (Canterbury - Mid - Canterbury - South Canter-bury-North Otago-Otago-Southland). Dissatisfaction was expressed to the council that the Nelson Bays Union would have only two home games this season and none against first-division national championship teams. It was pointed out that the rules of the national championship said each division a team had to play at least 'two division two teams.