Bush unlikely to miss Maori rugby tour in spite of dismissal

Press, 23 April 1979, Page 30

Bush unlikely to miss Maori rugby tour in spite of dismissal

By

JOHN COFFEY

It is most unlikely that the All Black prop, Bill Bush, will have his availability for the New Zealand Maoris rugby tour to Australia and the Pacific compromised by his dismissal from the field during a club match on Saturday.

Bush and an opposing forward, Bob Harrison, were sent from the field by the referee (Mr P. J. Brandon) after being involved in an incident in the second half of the match between Belfast and Hornby at Denton Oval. The Hornby club captain, Mr R. Ridden, said yesterday that he had been concerned at suggestions that Bush might be treated with lenience because of the Maori tour. The Maori team is to assemble in Auckland on Sundav, leaves for Australia on May 2, and has its opening fixture against Queensland four days later. “There is no way that he should receive preferential treatment just because he is an All Black or a Maori All Black,” Mr Ridden said. “If he is stood down only for a couple of games, then harsh words will be spoken.” Mr Ridden compared Bush’s case with that of a Hornby forward, Robert Webster, who was ordered off while playing against Shirley at Denton Oval on the evening of April 11. Webster was subsequently required to miss three matches. “We are not blaming the referee for what happened. He was very fair it. the way that he controlled the match, and it was not his fault that there was a lot of needling! between the teams. “The reason was pretty!

clear. Everyone expected Belfast to win easily and when Hornby kept the scores close until the last few minutes, the Belfast players got upset about it,” said Mr Ridden. Belfast finished ahead, 19-9, but gained its advantage only with two late tries and a conversion. Mr Ridden said that there had been sufficient rough play in the corresponding!

match between the clubs last year to cause the Hornby club to write a five-page letter to the Canterbury Rugby Union. His statement was not intended to in any way prejudge Bush’s appearance before the union’s judicial i committee tomorrow night, j Mr Ridden said, but was i aimed at ensuring that all

players — no matter their status — were given equal treatment.

“Rumour has it that if a guy is suspended he is not allowed to tour with any team. And surely a player would have to be available for any match from which he was suspended, otherwise there would be no penalty,” he said.

Belfast has a crowded scheduled ahead of it, with competition fixtures on Anzac Day, next Saturday, the evening of May 2, and on Saturday, May 5. Bush, if he is to assemble and travel with the Maoris on the dates announced by the New Zealand Rugby Union council, would not be in Christchurch on either May 2 or 5.

Mr J. O. Hattersley, the chairman of the judicial committee, said that he could not comment on the case other than to say that he had not seen the incident and that Bush would be treated the same as any other player. He was not aware of the Maori side’s itinerary and would make his decision solely on the evidence presented. It would be unprecedented for the committee to impose a “broken”' suspension, applying to club games before and after the tour but allowing Bush to fulfil his commitments to the Maori team.

Similarly, it would require an unusually long suspension to cause Bush to have to miss sufficient tour matches to persuade the Maori officials to replace him.

Because of Belfast’s busy programme, Bush could conceivably be stood down for as many as four fixtures and be free to take the field against Queensland on May 6.

Whether the fact that he would not be available for his club on May 2 and 5 complicates the issue is a matter for the judicial committee to decide.

Mr J. Drumm, the Belfast club captain, said that there would be no comment whatsoever from any Belfast club official.