Baxendale off to Britain

Press, 19 May 1981, Page 42

Baxendale off to Britain

By J<

JOHN COFFEY

Ray Baxendale will join the overseas exodus of prominent New Zealand rugby league players when he files an application for a clearance to play for the Wakefield Trinity club in the 1981-82 British season.

A youthful veteran of 15 tests and 23 other matches for the Kiwis since his debut in 1975, Baxendale said yesterday that he intends to lodge an application form with- the New Zealand Rugby League later this week. But Baxendale will not be lost to the code in this country. He intends to spend omy the next New Zealand summer at Wakefield, although he said that he “will look at the situation after that.” Baxendale is the sixth member of the successful 1980 New Zealand touring side to seek an overseas clearance. Mark Graham, Mark Broadhurst, and Fred Ah Kuoi are in Sydney, and the Auckland outside backs, James Leuluai and Dane O’Hara, will link up with the Yorkshire club, Hull, in September.

Initially, Leuluai and O’Hara intended to play with Hull in the New Zealand summer and return to their Auckland clubs. But their plans have subsequently been amended to applications for full three-year clearances, and the Auckland Rugby League has sought to block their transfers.

No such problem should face Baxendale, who is keen to return for the 1982 New Zealand season. He will make his debut for Canterbury against Northland at Christchurch on May 30, having transferred from the West Coast club, Runanga, to Marist-Western Suburbs this year. The approach to Baxendale to play for the illustrious Wakefield Trinity club was made during the 1980 tour by a liaison officer, Mr Trevor Woodward, who is also a high-ranking Wakefield official. •

“There was a lot of club interest in the Kiwis; virtually any of the players could have returned for the next English season,” Baxendale said. Wakefield will provide accommodation and employment as part of the agreement.

Baxendale appeared in three of the five tests in Britain and France, and was quite outstanding when he replaced the injured Graham in New Zealand’s 12-B.defeat of Britain at Bradford.

“The style of football in Britain is not, as open as in Australia and New Zealand, and suits me better. There is a lot of hard work involved, and the forwards get more work,” Baxendale said. • Wakefield Trinity is firmly established in: the first division. in Britain, and as' recently as two years ago was the losing finalist in the British Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium. : ’