League seeks more TV cover

Press, 4 May 1978, Page 36

League seeks more TV cover

Canterbury rugby league administrators will support any protest made by the code’s national body in a bid to have the test series between the Kiwis and the Kangaroos televised live from Australia later this season.

Steve Gunby, secretarytreasurer of the Canterbury league, said yesterday that he was awaiting v/ord from the New Zealand council as to what action should be taken. It is likely that Mr Gunby will soon be writing letters to all local members of Par-

liament expressing disappointment that Television One has decided to schedule only delayed screenings. Direct approaches to members of Parliament by ptovincial leagues will be encouraged by the New Zealand Rugby League, which will itself contact the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) and the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling). The president of the New Zealand league (Ron McGregor) accused TVI of discrimination against the sport when comparing the coverage accorded to others. “We have not had a satis-J

factory explanation why they cannot show the tests live,” he said. “I think it is time for TVI and television as a whole to show it is for sport in general.

“It seems strange that a monopoly channel can choose what sport it will support.” The TVI proposal is to screen the first and third tests on the mid-week “Sports Special” programme. The second international will be telecast on the afternoon of July 22, the day that the third test will be played in Sydney. Rugby league followers on

the West Coast are already geared to make their feelings known. The provincial board of control, its clubs, and the West Coast supporters’ club have started a petition calling for the tests to be televised live. The tour to Australia will be the first big overseas venture by the Kiwis since they travelled to Britain and France in 1971. There was criticism then that films of the tests were not shown in this country until some weeks after the matches were held, even though New Zealand, for the first time.

won the series in both’ Britain and France. Rugby league’s rumblings will no doubt increase with the announcement yesterday that TVI will seek a direct telecast of the European Cup soccer final between Liverpool and F. C. Bruges (Belgium). The F. A. Cup final from England on Sunday morning and the World Cup in June are other soccer highlights, neither of which Involve New Zealand teams, which will be screened live.