ALL BLACK TOURS THIS YEAR

Chronicle (Levin), 1 March 1947, Page 3

ALL BLACK TOURS THIS YEAR

-Press Association

South Africa, Australia and Fiji

By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, Eob. 28. "Tho Soutli Afrieau tour nas goue a bit lukowarm at preseut. Wliy liave we lost 111101081?' ' asked ^lr. G. Orreli (Auckland; of today's special meeting of tlio N.Z. Kugby Union. Voicos: llow lost inleresU? No! No'. Tho president, Mr. II. S. Slrang (Bouthland ; : Only oue tliing would stop us going to South Africa. That is lack of transport. South Africa is lirst priority. Upon the requesl of the chairman of tho oxocutive (Mr. S. S. Dean) who had previously read a cablegram oxpressing South Afrieau conlidoucc that the All Blacks would tour, read a cablegram whieh the N.Z. Uouncil had draf'ted: "Iu view of tlie shipping difticulties encountered for the tour of 1918, unless South Africa can facilitate matters t'rom that end it, seems inevitable that the proposed tour will have to bo post[jonod titi 19-19. Please cable reply." "No cablegram with the word postpone should be sent, " said Mr. Orreli, aud his words wc-re supported by Mr. A. A. McK.enz.ie (Ilawke's Bay) and other deiegates. Mr. Dean said the cablegram was uierely a draft and could be modilied to the requirements of the moeting. Eventually tho following text was •approved: " We desire sending team 19-18 but are encountering greatest difficulties with shipping reservations. Can you facilitate and guarantee shipping botii wuys ' Would appreciatc oarly reply. ' ' This stage of Ihe meeting had been occupied by the consideration of tours to Eiji aud Australia iu addition to.tlie South Afrieau oue. Mr. G. Kenuedy, vice -presidcnt oi the New South Waies Kugby 'Uniou, who was prescnt by invitation, addressed the meeting in support of a plea that an All Blaclc team be sent to Australia early this season. II c stated that the visit of the New Zoaland slde would do inestnnuble good to the team of ' ' schoolboys ' ' who gave a good display iu New' Zoaland last season, and who would be Ihe maia strcngth of the j team to leave ior England on Julv 2(5. j Australia would iike New Zeaiand to [ come whether or not the South Afrieau I tour wero undertakeu. Mr. C. L. Oherney (Auckland) said I the provisiou of an adequate team for Bouth Africa next year was New Zea-, land 's main concern. A good season 's I provincial play and tlie necessary trials weie ess'-utiui t " eusure this.

j Utlier sjmakers said thero would be I lime to hclp Australia to play trials J laier. it was resolved to send an All Blaclc team to Australia fhis year. The tour of a Maori team lo Eiji tlien came upfor consideration. J Mr. J. Finlayson (North Auckland) | opposed sending a Maori team to Eiji this year. Mr. Dean: Too Iate. AVe have acoei>ted the invitation. 11c wenl 011 lo say that tlie trip i would be by ttyingboat. Tlie New Zeai land Union boro the expenses aud wished to assist Eiji. The t rip was approved. Discussion on the system of All Blac'k pelocf ion ro vealed strong feeling i'n * favour of glviug country players mere opportunity. Mr. J. il. Barker (Canterbury) : II we are going to geL a strong side for South Africa we must comb the country districts. Mr. T. C. Morrison (Auckland) said the selectors should see the country players perform iu their own environment. A country player askod suddenIv to sliow his form in a strangc city side was at a disadvautage.

Two prepared systems of seleotion wore submitted, oue by the executive and the other bv the Auckland Union. Mr. Counor recommended that two selectors be appoinled from each island aud from tJiose four two be appointed as New Zeaiand selectors. For the North Island the trial matohes would be: North Auckland v. Thames Valley and Waikato. Bay of I'lenty and King Country v. East Coast and Poverty Bay. Taranaki v. Wanganui. Manawatu v. Busli and Horowhenua. Hawke's Bay v. Wairarapa. Auckland v. Wellington. .From lliose matches tliree A and three B ieams would bo seleeted for further matches. A North Island team would thon be seleeted and a B team for a further trial with a South Island B team, or alt ernatively a further Possibles and Probables matcli as a curtain-raiser to tho North v. South match. The Auckland Union opposed the executive 's plan on the grounds that it: kept players from ihe country together aud town players together and that j lliey were not given an opportunity of finciing their feet in strange cpmpany. The Auckland proposal was to divide Ihe North Island, as an instance, inlo four zones such as Auckland eomprising North Auckland, Auckland, Waikato and Thames Valley with subuuions. Aflcr elimi nation games tlie linal regional team would be seleeted. The regional selectors would be three in number, e.g., oue each for Auckland, North Auckland and Waikato. They would pick from the teams nominated for trial purposes the four regional teams in which the cities would not doniinate ihe rural districts and would play off bef'orc the North Island aud New Zeaiand. selectors. The North Island team would be thus seleeted and possibles would be seleeted from the balance. It was deeided that a decision on fhe mode of selection be made at the aa-

aua! meeting. Other remits approved were that the laws of professionalism be reviewed at the coming internaiional conferencc; that the last nofe of law 26 read: "Whcn the rofercc cannot decide whicb leam iirst grounded the bait fn goal a tive-yard scrum be awarded opposite the spot"; should a player recover tlu ball inimodiat ely and bcfore it reaehos Ihe ground it will not be decmed a knock-on; that the conference consider for approval by the lutornational Board Ihe Doininions Union 's sehcme of tours for a pcriod of years so that unions can make necessary the arruiigements wcll in advance aud adjnst their programmes accordingJy; that law 25 read: " (A) the ball must bo brought out to the field of play and be placed on the ground on a line parallel to the touclilincs through the place whero the try was oblalned, (B) all of tho kicker's leaiu must be beliind the ball when it is kicked, (0) the opposing team must bo behind the goal line until the ball is kicked. ' '