Rugby B sides likely to stay out in cold

Press, 14 March 1978, Page 34

Rugby B sides likely to stay out in cold

By

KEVIN McMENAMIN

The prospects of provincial B teams being accepted into the national rugby championship this year—something which the Canterbury Rugby Union has campaigned hard for—look far from bright.

The New Zealand union decided las year that subject, to finance the second "if- j teens of Canterbury and' Otago would be included in the South Island division' two championship and an < unspecified number of North

I Island B teams in the north-1 !ern second division. However, with Radio New; ' Zealand having withdrawn!! its sponsorship, finance has | become a major snag. A newii sponsor has still to be: named, but it is unlikely*]

(that the accepted offer will i be sufficient to allow for the {enlarging of the champion- ! ship. i In the meantime, the i Canterbury B team has a (tentative programme of two home games, against Marl-

borough and Mid-Canter-bury, and a three-match tour to West Coast, Buller and Nelson Bays. If sponsorship can be found for a bigger division two then Canterbury B would play two further matches, against North Otago and Otago B, in the championship. Another sponsorship matter in the melting pot relates to Canterbury A’s planned trip to Brisbane in May to play Queensland, the top Australian state last season. Part of Radio New Zealand’s sponsorship was that the division one winner (Canterbury) would cross the Tasman and meet the top Australian side.

It remains to be seen whether Radio New Zealand will honour this undertaking now that it has cut its ties with rugby.