Management bows to French demands

Press, 30 October 1981, Page 28

Management bows to French demands

NZPA Strasbourg The All Black management yesterday agreed to allow Scotland's Andy Irvine and Ireland’s Fergus Slattery to play for the French Barbarians against New Zealand at Bayonne on November 7. The All Black manager, Mr Pat Gill, said the decision to bow to French demands that the two international captains play was based on a desire to see the tour proceed in harmony. “The French are the host country and I was aware that the matter was starting to attract a . great deal of publicity.” he said. Before the All Black tour began, the New Zealand Rugby Union had extracted an agreement from the French rugbv authorities

that only Frenchmen would play .for the Barbarians. They did not want the All Blacks to face a virtual teststrength Barbarians team just a week before the first test at Toulouse. But after agreeing to the proviso, the French authorities . subsequently invited Slattery and Irvine to play. It took discussions yesterday between the liaison officers representing Mr Gill and the French federation to break a deadlock on the issue. However, it is stil possible that Irvine and Slattery may not play at Bayonne. Both have yet to decide whether to play for the Barbarians or for their respective club and provincial sides on November 7.