‘Council turned down referees’

Press, 9 October 1976, Page 52

‘Council turned down referees’

PA Auckland The South African Rugby Board’s offer of neutral referees for the All Black tests this year was turned down by the council of the New Zealand Rugby Union, and not solely by two of its members, Mr J. L. Sullivan, the chairman, and Mr C. A. Blazey-, the deputy chairman.

This is the substance of a statement released by the council yesterday afternoon after several hours of incommittee discussion in Auckland. ■ The statement read: “a statement appeared recently in a newspaper that Dr Danie Craven had offered so-called neutral referees to Messrs Sullivan and Blazey at the last meeting of the Internationa! Rugby’ Board and that they’ turned it down.

“It was also stated that the N.Z.R.U. Council did not have an opportunity to discuss the matter. “The facts are that Dr Craven raised the matter in April 1975 and the discussion was reported to the Council. “The council decided that the arrangements established over a very long period should be followed for the tour of South Africa.” The hint that next year’s national representative rugby competition should contain second XV’s from some major unions was made by Mr R. M. Don at yesterday’s meeting.

“I think the sub-committee should keep in mind,” said Mr Don, “the possibility of admitting some second fifteens into the second division of the competition.

. “Some of these second fifteens have already proven their case for admission. 1 have in mind that the four major associations should enter their second teams.” Unions will be asked to standardise the numbering of team jerseys in line with the Internationa] Rugby Board ruling for international matches. The N.Z.R..U. wil make submissions to the next meeting of the 1.R.8. asking for the adoption of the temporary suspension, or "sin bin” system, with suspensions not exceeding 15 minutes.