Star-studded rugby team to play Otago

Press, 24 December 1980, Page 26

Star-studded rugby team to play Otago

PA Dunedin An international rugby team including many stars of British and European rugby will play Otago in a special centenary match at Carisbrook in April next year. Details of the international side’s visit to Dunedin were released yesterday by Mr John Dowling, convener of the Centennial Committee of the Otago Rugby Football Union. The team, which includes at least 14 players who have represented the British Lions, will play probably three matches in New Zealand.

It will play Otago, the Cantabrians and probably one other game. It is proposed that the match against Otago will be played on Sunday, April 26, but the date has still to be confirmed. The team will be called the Public School Wanderers Club of England it will include test players from the four Home Unions as well as France and Italy.

The names of the French and Italian players have still to be released.

The game will cost the Otago union $5OOO plus the cost of accommodation for the tourists. “The Public School. Wanderers played host to the Cantabrians in 1979 and this will be one of a series of star-studded matches to - be played at Carisbrook next year,” Mr Dowling said.

The international team announced yesterday is: Bruce Hay (Scotland), Roger Bly th

i (Wales), Peter Squires (En ■ land). Ray Gravell (Wale: David Johnstone (Scotland i Clive Woodward (England John Rutherford (Scotland' John Robbie (Ireland). Stev< Smith (England), Charlit Faulkner (Wales), Fran Cotton (England), Graham Price (Wales). Ken Kennedy Oreland), Moss Keane (Ireland), Allan Martin (Wales). Gareth Williams (Wales), Fergus Slattery’ (Ireland), Jeff Squire (Wales). The team is subject to the players not being involved in matches involving their various national sides. “The ■ international side appears virtually to be a Lions team, with some exciting French and Italian players still to be added,” Mr Dowling said. Nine of the players have toured New Zealand with the Lions, either in 1977, 1971 or 1966, and five others toured to South Africa with the Lions this vear.

The main part of the O.R.F.U. centennial celebrations will be the week-end from Mav 8 to 10 when Otago will play the Queensland state side on the Sunday.

Otago sub-unions will play Queensland, at Alexnnd*” four davs earlier. Queensland’s two-game tour wi ! ' cost the O.R.F.U. more than $15,000.

“The cancellation of th' l proposed tour ,by Cardiff, while disappointing, in n r > way upsets the centennial plans,” Mr Dowling said. “They have always hee” centred around the visit of the Queensland team.”