No Australian League Tour Next Season

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28161, 27 December 1956, Page 10

No Australian League Tour Next Season

r FHOSE who have noted Aus-i A tralia’s attitude towards tours of New Zealand since the! last war will not be surprised at 1 the announcement made this week by the New Zealand Rugby; League Council that an Australian team will not tour this country this season. Although the Australian council enjoys having Kiwi teams in Australia, it seems to show a reluctance to return these tours. The tours New Zealand made of Australia in 1948. 1952. and 1956. were arranged to suit the convenience of Australia because in those seasons they were preparing their teams to tour England and France As the New Zealand teams had toured England and France in the previous seasons their form and performance against Australia; were a good yardstick for the Australian selectors in their task of choosing the Kangaroo teams. However, the accepted thing has been for Australia to tour New Zealand the season after New Zealand has toured Australia, and this ■ has to a large extent been set down by the International League Council’ in the four-year tour' cycle, but Australia has frequently endeavoured to arrange its tour of this country to suit its own ends. For instance, in 1949 Australia travelled through New Zealand in late September. Christchurch seeing a game on September 24 —a ridiculous time for any winter code. Consequently, the tour was not a financial success. Four years later, the New Zealand council wisely decided to de|mand that the tour take place at

a time when interest in football 1 was at a peak in this country. In doing this it managed to get the [itinerary in June and July, and it was generally regarded as a rousing success. Now the Australians have disregarded their obligations to this country once more. Their excuse is that the World Cup series is being held in Australia this year [ and that their clubs will be without their players long enough. They have failed to realise that the same applies to New Zealand, i too. In any case, the New South [Wales Rugby League invariably runs its competitions on a Sunday. when they have big games cn i a Saturday and have already made .arrangements to do this again this ' year. : To the Rugby League followers [of this country the news of the cancelling of the tour will be a i big disappointment and the advice to the New Zealand council from I many of them would most likely be for New Zealand to refuse to [tour Australia until that country I had honoured its obligations to New Zealand. Possibly to go even 1 further they might suggest that [New Zealand boycott the World Cup series next season and so make it a three-sided contest. Neither action is likely to be taken, as the New Zealand League has a reputation overseas for fair .play. The one chance of forcing i Australia’s hand is to bring it before the World Council when they : meet in Australia during the [World Cup and to explain that on [the face of it Australia has so far used New Zealand to further its 'own ends.