Senior rugby players to miss test

Press, 10 July 1979, Page 36

Senior rugby players to miss test

By

KEVIN McMENAMIM

A policy change by the Canterbury Rugby Union will deny a number of senior teams, and their loyal supporters, the opportunity Of watching next Saturday’s test between New Zealand and France live on television.

Last week the union’s management committee voted in favour of a “normal” round this Saturday,

the last in the C.S.B. Cup competition. This means that the bulk of the games will begin at 2.45 p.m. i The decision was not unanimous, but nevertheless decisive. It is possible that the topic could be raised [again at tonight’s union i meeting (when the draw is presented for confirmation), , but there is no guarantee. In the last two years, during the tours of the Lions and the Wallabies, all club rugby in Christchurch has

been played early, senior matches at 12.30 p.m, On the days when tests were being played in other centres. There is, of course, never any prior announcement that a test is going to be televised live, but no-one would doubt that next Saturday’s test in Auckland is going to be screened, as was last Saturday’s in Christchurch. The chairman of the Canterbury union’s competitions committee, Mr W. A. Russell, said yesterday that the union’s thinking in making its decision was that

this week’s club round was an important one with the winner of the C.S.B. Cup to be found. “The predominant view was that there should be no interference with the competition at such a vital stage. For the leading teams, especially, Saturday’s games are most important and playing them early would lessen their importance.” Mr Russell said he realised that many senior players would probably be unhappy with the decision and that crowd numbers would

be down. “The committee knew this when it made its choice.” He said that every effort would be made to play as many lower-grade games as possible early, bringing many forward from the usual starting time of 2.45 p.m. to 1.15 p.m. Jerry Rowberry, the Christchurch senior captain, said there would be some disappointment among senior players, but it would not be so great among the four leading teams, which have much at stake on Saturday.

Christchurch, for example, must win to ensure itself a place in the top four to play off for the C.S.B. Trophy, while Linwood, Marist and High School Old Boys (the latter two meet) all have a chance of winning the C.S.B. Cup. “Early games make different demands on players and generally they are not popular. The situation this week is a difficult one, but I would think that the leading teams would prefer to play at the normal times,” said Rowberry.