RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP TOURNEY

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27735, 12 August 1955, Page 6

RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP TOURNEY

1957 FIXTURE IN AUSTRALIA

DECISIONS OF AUCKLAND CONFERENCE (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, Aug. 11. The second World Cup Rugby League competition will be held in Australia in 1957. Delegates from New Zealand, Australia, England, and France agreed on this fixture today when they opened a twoday conference. It is the seventh meeting of the four countries since 1947. Although spectators were permitted to attend the conference, the press was excluded, and statements were issued after the morning and afternoon sessions. The chairman of the conference is Mr J. W. Watson, the president of the New Zealand Rugby League. The secretary is Mr W. Fallowfield, the International Board and English League secretary. The delegates are Messrs J. E. Knowling and W. A. Swift (New Zealand), G. Oldroyd (England), A. Blain (France), and S. G. Ball (Australia), who is observing the conference for the United States. The World Cup tournament will coincide with Australia’s jubilee year in 1957. The conference has recommended that the six matches be played on three successive week-ends, and that the final game be a Northern Hemisphere v. Southern Hemisphere contest. However, this match may not be played if a play-off is necessary. Each country will nominate 18 players, and it is suggested that the system of refereeing used., in France during the first World Cup series last year be followed. Last year there was one English and one French referee, and in 1957 it is hoped that there will be one Australian and one New Zealand referee, with a referee of a different nationality in the Australia-New Zealand match. The play-the-ball rule has again been changed. The conference agreed by three votes to one to adopt a joint New Zea-land-France-Australian ruling, which will become standard throughout the world. The acting half-back may now stand as close as he likes behind the man playing the ball. All other players are onside provided they are three yards behind the man playing the ball. The ruling is only slightly different from that at present being played in New Zealand, but it differs substantially from the English interpretation, where the old oneyard rule is still in force, England’s delegate opposed the change because his country believed it did not solve the fundamental problem of stopping forwards keeping possession over a long period.

TOUR OF FRANCE BY MAORI TEAM

MR BLAIN SUGGESTS VISIT (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. August 11. Mr Antoine Blain, secretary-general of the French Rugby League and manager of the team touring New Zealand, wants the New Zealand Maoris to send a team to France. He issued the invitation after yesterday’s maten at Huntly, when the Maoris won. 28-20. “Your spectacular play, your songs and your dances would ensure a fine tour,” he told Maori League officials. Victory for the Maori team is believed to have increased the chances of an Australian tour next year. The Maoris have been pressing for this for some time.

ASSOCIATION CODE

PRIVATE SCHOOLS’ COMPETITION Results of Soccer matches between private schools in Christchurch were:— A Grade.—Addington Convent 3, St. Therese’s 0; Loreto 2, St. Joseph’s 0. B Grade.—St Mary’s I 3, New Brighton 2; Addington Convent 2, Kaiapoi 0; St. Patrick’s 0, St Anne’s 0; Loreto 2, St. Mary’s II 0. C Grade.—St. Anne’s 1, Loreto II 0; St. Joseph’s II 0, Loreto I 2; St. Peter’s 0; St. Therese’s 5, Loreto 111 0; St. Joseph’s I 3, Addington Convent 0.