’Bok tour itinerary decision soon?

Press, 23 September 1980, Page 6

’Bok tour itinerary decision soon?

NZPA

London

New Zealand’s rugby heads could decide on an itinerary for next year’s Springbok tour by the end of next month, the N.Z.R.F.U. chairman, Mr Ces Blazey, said yesterday.

The next meeting of the N.Z.-R.F.y. Council is on October 31. Mr Blazey said that a draft of the South Africans’ tour plans , could be. ready by then. "I’m not saying it will be ready,” Mr Blazey said. '‘There are so many details togointo. But it is possible we could approve a draft itinerary at our next meeting and. send it to South Africa for approval.” Council discussion so far on the controversial tour, he said, had been confined to the . question of whether , the invitation should be issued. • “Now the hard work begins.” Mr Blazey was in Cardiff over the week-end for a meeting of an International Rugby Board sub-committee specifically studying the future role of the board, and the discussion was expected to cover both amateurism and the board’s future membership. Also in Cardiff for the first of the Welsh Rugby Union’s centenary matches was the president of the South African Rugby Board, Dr Danie Craven. Mr Blazey said the tour obviously would be mentioned in conversation between the two, but there would be no negotiation, or discussion on tour detail. “That’s a matter for my council, not for me and him,” Mr Blazey said. •Dr Craven also said that tour- detail would not be broached. “There is a procedure for this sort of thing,” he said. ’

“Ijhave no preference on length of tour or venues. Whatever New Zealand says willZbe good enough for me. 'Wb’Ayill be guided by what they--suggest,” he said. '.‘•k am just happy we are going. It is nice to have friends again.”

•’Me. Blazey would not speculate'on a likely duration of, the'tour.' -To the suggestion

first published'in March that Scotland might also tour New Zealand next year, he would only say: “That is not' on the schedule of tours?’ ' ■ , It seems increasingly likely, however, that the Springboks .will not undertake what used, to be known as a long tour of 24 or 25 matches. Officially-described “long” tours these days are of 18 games, such as the All Blacks’ tour of Britain two years ago. " ' , • The Springboks -most probably will be asked to play a medium-length tour — of the length that Australian sides usually undertake — and it'probably will, include only three tests. Mr Blazey said he could not comment on that suggestion because the council has not discussed an itinerary. ■ From Hastings, it is reported that all teachers and coaches at one of New Zealand’s .great Maori rugby strongholds, Te Aute College, havecondemned next year’s proposed /Springbok tour, ' ;7..

A letter outlining their opposition to the . tour was signed by 10 rugby coaches including the principal and coach of the college’s high-ly-successful first fifteen, Mr Awi Riddell. It has been sent to the Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union and 'to the New Zealand Rugby Union.' , ? Its author, Mr Richard Schumacher, said the ■ coaches’ stand' was supported ; 100 per cent by the staff. The Acting Prime Minister (Mr Taiboys) said yesterday that the Government had not considered asking the Gover-nor-General (Sir Keith Holyoake) to relinquish his position of patron of the New Zealand Rugby Union in protest against, the .tour invitation,. .....

A surprised Mr Taiboys said the possibility had not occurred to him, when he

was questioned at a press conference after a Cabinet meeting., „ Last week, Mr Taiboys said he had clearly expressed Govehnment opposition to a Springbok tour to the Rugby Union and could not think of other means of persuasion. But Mr Taiboys said yesterday that it was still too early to think of asking Sir Keith to step down as the Rugby Union’s patron. “They (the Springboks) have not come yet and I am full of hope that the. pressure of public opinion will persuade the Rugby Union to reconsider its decision.' “I think it is important to get this in perspective. What we are talking about is something that might or might not happen in several months time,” he said. The New Zealand Squash Rackets Association has decided that' in the present political climate and in accordance with the spirit of the Gleneagles Agreement, not to accept an entry for the New Zealand Open from the South African touring professional, Roland Watson, Mr M. D. McCarthy, president of the association, said from Dunedin; “We have taken a long and searching look ’at the ramification of Watson playing here’ and how Iris. : competing could possibly jeopardise other sports including the Commonwealth Games.of 1982.” Mr McCarthy said he appreciated that the squash professionals regarded themselves'as,.a group who made a living from playing squash and above politics. “However, we have made our decision knowing that there could be a reaction from them arid they may allwithdraw and boycott the New Zealand Open. ■

“Nevertheless my association is prepared to stand by the decision even if there is a boycott.” he said.