S.A. tour off-just for now

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34022, 11 December 1975, Page 32

S.A. tour off-just for now

'.VZ. Press Association) WELLINGTON. Marlborough’s proposed Rugby tour of Soulth Africa next March is temporarily off again. The New Zealand Rugby Football Union at the week-end received official confirmation from South Africa of the Marlborough team’s visit. But, according to the secretary (Mr J. M. Jeffs), the letter did not fill the basic requirements needed by the N.Z.R.F.U. to confirm such projects.

“There were one or two unusual factors about the letter, and it did not include venues or opponents,” Mr Jeffs said in Wellington yesterday. Two weeks ago the N.Z.R.F.U. wrote to the South African Rugby Board of Control about the Marlborough tour. Until the N.Z.R.F.U. gets more details, it seems Marlborough’s tour cannot go ahead. “We are still not in any position to do anything about it,” Mr Jeffs said. However, it seemed likely that ihe host would be the Orange Free State Province. Most of Marlborough’s negotiations in South Africa had been done through the Natal province, aided by two former Marlborough representatives, Barry Miller and Graham Avery’.

Suspensions. — The French Rugby Union Federation has suspended two players sent off by the referee in the "B” Inter- ! national between France and Ireland last Saturday in Dublin. The Mont-de-Marson prop, Bernard Forestier, was suspended until January 19. The Narbonne booker, Pierre Salettes, was suspended until December 15.