No Clearance For Kiwis

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30951, 6 January 1966, Page 11

No Clearance For Kiwis

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) SYDNEY. New Zealand Rugby League players who toured England and France last year will not be allowed to join Australian clubs this year, the Sydney “Daily Mirror” Rugby writer, Peter Muszkat, said yesterday.

Muszkat reported an interview with Mr E. J. Knowling, secretary of the New Zealand League.

He said that Mr Knowling was taking advantage of a Sydney holiday to have Informal discussions with Australian League officials. “He confirmed that only the goal-kicking centre, Reg Cooke, from Auckland, has been granted a clearance to play in Australia,” Muszkat wrote.

“Cooke, who toured England and France with the 1961 Kiwis, has verbally agreed to join Southern Suburbs, Bris-

bane, as player-coach for the next two years, while the option of re-engagement for a third year. “Asked if any other prominent New Zealand players had applied for a clearance to play in Australia next year, Mr Knowling replied: “‘No member of the Kiwi team that toured England and France last year is eligible to seek a clearance to play in Australia next season.’ “Mr Knowling admitted that the Kiwi scrum-half and captain, Bill Snowden, and the utility back, Graham Kennedy, had made inquiries before the tour about their chances of getting a clearance to play in Australia in 1966.”