“Rugby Dragged In The Mud”

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31128, 3 August 1966, Page 18

“Rugby Dragged In The Mud”

W.X. Press Association)

AUCKLAND.

Rough play in the British Lions - Auckland match on Saturday was discussed by the Auckland Rugby Union’s management committee last evening.

In the manager's report on

the game, Mr W. Yelavich stated that because of rough and dirty play by both teams in the second half the game became a melee. Much harm was done to Rugby as a result and both teams should take some responsibility. Mr R. L. Burk, the committee chairman, said that it Was the union’s duty to discuss the match. “I won’t wear It that the Auckland team was responsible for the rough play.” said

Mr Burk. “Certainly they were sucked into it and they should have had enough experience not to retaliate.” It was to be regretted that the blow-up should have come so soon after the “outburst” of the Lions’ manager, Mr D. J. O’Brien, in Christchurch, an outburst that was very hard to understand.

Mr F. Hay said that the game of Rugby had been dragged In the mud by the game. The Auckland players should not be made the scape-

goats until there had been a thorough investigation. He hoped that any discussions the New Zealand Rugby Union had on the game would be held in open meeting. Mr P. R. Hall said that if the referee had exercised more authority a lot of the incidents would not have occurred.

Mr Burk said he felt everything that could be done to prevent the incidents happening again had been done.