Kaiapoi rugby appeal

Press, 1 May 1980, Page 36

Kaiapoi rugby appeal

A general meeting of the North Canterbury sub-union will, in the first instance, hear any appeal that the Kaiapoi rugby club wishes to make against 17 of its junior members being denied permission to play in town this winter.

Last week the management committee of the sub-union declined dispensations for the 17 players, who. comprise a team, to play under the Marist name and colours in the town under-18 grade. The boys, all of whom are aged 16 or 17, do not wish to play in the only North Canterbury grade • open to them, the under-19 competi-

tion. They have the support of the Kaiapoi club. A story on the conflict, printed in "The Press” yesterday, said that the Kaiapoi club had lodged an appeal against the refusal of the North Canterbury sub-union to grant dispensations with the Canterbury union. However, under rules revised'two years ago the club must first appeal to a general meeting of the sub-union. If it fails to win its case there, it can then if it" wishes, appeal to the’ Canterbury union.

Advising the procedure yesterday, the president of the Canterbury union, Mr B. J. Drake, said that the mat-

ter might take some time to resolve, and this he regret-, ted. .“The boys will have no rugby until the problem isi ironed out and no-one ishappy with this situation? But the proper procedures have to be followed.” . } Mr Drake said that he had, no other course last Satur-' day than to instruct thei Marist club to withdraw the: team once he had been in-; formed that North Canter- I bury had declined to grantl dispensations. “Under our rules on theil movement of town and couh-| try players I had no other} choice,” Mr Drake said. 1