Otago pulls out

Press, 6 October 1977, Page 6

Otago pulls out

PA Dunedin :, Otago has withdrawn from thej, Benson and Hedges provincial , seven-a-side rugby final at Bien- ! heim on Saturday because it cannot field a team of a suitably , high representative standard. 1 From the 55 players in the ! Otago A and B representative squads. John Lindsay, the Otago . coach, could-not find seven avail- \ able players up to a representa- 1 tive standard. “The time of the year is bad 1 for us because many of our •! players have farming and uni- 1 versity examination commitments,” said Mr Lindsay yes- < terday. r “The other players of a suit- i able standard are on the injury j list or are preparing for the ;

‘All ®- ac ‘k t° ur of France. ‘‘l can't blame the players because they have their own commitments. The timing is wrong as far as we are concerned.’' Mr Lindsay said that Otago relied on players from the provincial areas and on students to fill the team. “AH the boys who could not go are disappointed because we like the concept of seven-a-side pla>. It would be better if the final was held on a Sunday in May or .lust before the main representative season started. “It has been a very busy season with the Lions tour arid the national championship. We didn’t pull out lightly but I am not prepared to give the Otago jersey to anyone light]y either.’*