Wallaby Tour In Jeopardy

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30093, 29 March 1963, Page 13

Wallaby Tour In Jeopardy

(NZ. Press Aun.—Copvriffht; SYDNEY, March 28. The Australian Rugby Union has expressed bitter disappointment over what is called the meagre South African Rugby Board assembly grant for the Wallaby tour this winter. The South African Board has offered Australia £ Al 230 to finance and conduct tour trials, the assembly of the team and its outfitting and gear. This contrasts with a grant of £A3OOO when the 1953 Wallabies toured South Africa. The financial dispute is the subject ot strong private negotiation, and is so delicate that the tour could be In jeopardy, observers here olairfi. The Australian Rugby Union treasurer, Mr C. W.

Bfliunt, said today he was sorry the matter bad become public at this stage. He said Australia's representative at the International Board meeting in London, Mr J. W. Breckenridge, had been instructed to tell Dr. Danie Craven, of South Africa, of Australia’s disappointment. Dr. Craven, he said, had agreed to ask the South African board to reconsider the gram. It is understood the Australian Rugby Union required nearly £ASOOO from South Africa as an assembly grant. In the “Sydney Sun” today, E. W. Kann says the “niggardly financial treatment by the South African Rugby Board could force the Australian Rugby Union to abandon the Wallabies tour of that country thia year." Kann continues: "Local Rugby Union officials have been shocked and dtoappoint-

ed with the South African Board’s grant of £AI 230 towards the assembly coot. ‘To send a team to South Africa to enable the wealthy South African Board to add to its riches, the struggling Australian Union will face substantial toes in Conducting trials to select the Wallabies, and outfit them.” South Africa’s unexpected small grant contrasts with the generosity at the New Zealand Rugby Union, which last year gave the Australian Rugby Union £A3BOO to finance the Wallabies assembly costs for a 13-match tour of New Zealand, observers says One prominent official said: “Unless the grant is substantially increased, we would be asked to denude ourerivee of our liquid assets to provide South Africa with a touring team that would bring them in probably £ ABO, 000 profit.”