Permission To Play League Refused

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32015, 16 June 1969, Page 10

Permission To Play League Refused

(By Our Rugby League Reporter) ' A player selected for the Canterbury Rugby league senior second division team to play West Coast at Greymouth on Sunday, J. Wikalre (Marist-Western Suburbs), -will not be able to continue playing the code. Wikalre, a regular force soldier, first played for MaristWestern Suburbs this season. When he was named as a member of the senior second division representative squad the Marist-Western Suburbs club captain (Mr W. A. Whitehead) applied to the Ministry of Defence seeking permission for Wikalre to obtain leave to train and play. The reply, from Second Lieutenant B. Dodson on behalf of the commanding officer of the First Battalion Depot (Captain M. N. Ritchie), said that “Private Wikalre cannot be released to play because it is the unit’s policy that all personnel play organised sport for the unit on Saturday afternoons. • :?{L\ ate Wlkaire has been told this and he has now elected to play Rugby Union for the

unit's senior reserve team in the Ellesmere sub-union.” Mr Whitehead said yesterday that it was unfortunate that Wikalre was not able to play the code of his choice. The Army’s policy appeared to be similar to that of most New Zealand high schools where the pupils were dictated to rather than having the choice of sports. Wikalre will now have to be reinstated to Rugby Union because of his Rugby league appearances. The senior second division team !•: G. Teaho (Addington); T. Quaru (University). N. Dewes (Addington), A. Peterson (University), J. Merrel (Woolston); Wikalre, N. McGlnity (Linwood); M, Crulckshanks (Linwood), H. Lewis (Sydenham), P. Searle (Addington), S. Tuhoro (Woolston), E. Pomare (Hornby); G. M. Teen (University, captain). Reserves: H. Smith (Hornby), J. Keay (University).