LIFTING OF THE BAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 137, 13 June 1927, Page 14

LIFTING OF THE BAN.

RUGBY LEAGUE PLATERS. A RETROGRADE STEP. "It is a retrograde step," said the chairman of the Auckland Rugby League management committee (Mr. W. J. Hammill), on Saturday, in referring to the-cabled decision that the English Rugby League had decided to lift the two years residential qualification for colonial players. Mr. Hammill said that there was a definite agreement between the English body and the Australian and New Zealand League authorities on the subject, as it was realised that without the ban the wealthy English clubs would be able to "pick the eyes out" of the colonial leagues. "If "the cabled statement is correct—we know that there has been a move in that direction —the English Rugby League has flagrantly broken faith with us," added Mr. Hammill, "we must now in New Zealand consider what our attitude will be." The chairman said that the best interests of the code in the Dominion could only be conserved by a Home residential qualification in force, as otherwise the English clubs would drain New Zealand of every promising player. He said that the matter of transfers had been acutely discussed of late in consequence of the application made by L. Brown and B. Davidson. The Auckland League realised that if they granted transfers to the players concerned, it would only be the "thin edge of the wedgq," and nobody could say where it was going to end.