RUGBY PLAYERS REFUSED MEAL

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32885, 7 April 1972, Page 1

RUGBY PLAYERS REFUSED MEAL

Two overseas Rugby internationals were refused a meal at the Russley Golf Club on Wednesday because they will be playing with white South Africans at Lancaster Park on Sunday.

The two, J. N. B. Hipwell (Australia) and P. Tikoisuva (Fiji), are in New Zealand at the invitation of the New Zealand Rugby Union to'play in three benefit matches for the 1974 Commonwealth Games, the first of which is on Sunday.

With two South Africans— J. H. Ellis and P. J. Greyling—they will play for Cantabrians, and it was an official of the Cantabrian Club, Mr R. M. Smith, who met with the refusal when he tried to order lunch for Hipwell and Tikoisuva. Mr Smith said yesterday that he telephoned the Russley Club and made arrangements for the visitors to play a round of golf. He then spoke to the caterer (Mr R. Worley) to order lunch for them. Mr Smith said he told the caterer who the players were and Mr Worley had replied that he would not serve South Africans. “I explained to him that they were not South Africans, but he said it made no difference as they were playing with South Africans. He said he would rather lose his job than give them a meal.” Mr Smith said he took seme pains in trying to convince Mr Worley that the players were not South Africans and that they were in Christchurch purely by invitation. When the answer remained the same he rang off.

He then telephoned the Templeton Golf Club and arranged for Hipwell and Tikoisuva to play golf there and have lunch afterwards. Towards the end of their conversation, Mr Worley had said that he would be very busy on Wednesday as it was ladies* day and he would have 128 lunches to serve, said Mr Smith. Mr Worley was given three opportunities yesterday to explain his action. At the first he refused, saying only that he had the right to serve

whom he pleased; at the second he said he had been too busy; and on the third occasion, when invited to hear Mr Smith’s version of their conversation, he replaced the receiver. The president of the Russley Club (Mr C. L. Barnes) said he had no comment to make on the matter, other than that Mr Worley did have the right to refuse service. ASTONISHMENT The secretary of the Canterbury Rugby Union (Mr N. Moffitt) said he—and he was certain his union would think likewise—was astonished that such a situation should arise. “The players were invited here to help raise money for the Commonwealth Games, and that they should be subjected to this type of treatment is to be deplored.” Mr Moffitt said that the hospitality from other quarters for the visiting players had been overwhelming, and this included not only the Templeton Golf Club, where they played on Wednesday, but also at the Shirley links where they played yesterday.