REFEREE REPLIES

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31547, 8 December 1967, Page 14

REFEREE REPLIES

Prejudice Denied

(Special Crspdt. N.Z.P.A.) LONDON.

Claims that he had been watching C. E. Meads closely during the international match at Murrayfield last Saturday because of the New Zealander’s past reputation were described as “rubbish” by the Irish referee, Mr K. D. Kelleher, yesterday. “I have never met him before,” Mr Kelleher said. “With no disrespect to Meads, I wouldn’t even know what he looked like if I saw him tomorrow.”

After the judicial committee of the International Rugby Board decided to suspend Meads for two matches, the assistant manager of the All Blacks, Mr F. R. Allen, said: “In my opinion referees have singled out Meads for special attention because of the reputation he has been given and I am sure this was the case in the Edinburgh test.”

Mr Kelleher, interviewed by telephone at his Dublin home, said that he did not wish to comment either on the ordering-off of Meads or on the decision of the committee.

“I hope this isn’t going to become another legend like Brownlie and Freetbey,” he said.

Herewini Returns

(Special Crspdt. N.Z.P.A.) CARDIFF.

M. A. Herewini and I. A. Kirkpatrick return to the AH Black team selected to play East Wales at Cardiff on Saturday.

Herewini damaged a neck muscle in France, and it was feared he had broken the third vertebrae and would not be able to play again on tour. However, the injury was later diagnosed as muscular and it has responded well to treatment.

This will be the first match for Kirkpatrick since he had his nose broken in the test against France last month. The team is: W. F. McCormick; A. G. Steel, W. L. Davis. G. S. Thorne; G. F. Kember, Herewini; C. R. Laidlaw; B. J. Lochore; G. C. Williams, S. C. Strahan, A. E. Smith, Kirkpatrick; K. F. Gray, B. E. McLeod, A. E. Hopkinson.