Complaints held over

Press, 15 June 1983, Page 48

Complaints held over

Complaints about the behaviour of the British Lions rugby team during its visit to Greymouth last week were not considered by the management committee of the West Coast Rugby Union last night. The acting chairman, Mr John Sturgeon, said that the meeting had decided to wait until the return of the chairman, Mr Mick Pittaway, from a visit, to Christchurch. Mr Pittaway, he said, had been the local liaison officer with the Lions and was handling the investigation. His report would now be

considered by the union next Tuesday night. The vice-captain of the West Coast team, Kevin Ford, was head-butted by one of the visitors and had his jersey tom when he and his captain, Blair Hopkins, went to the rescue of the match referee, Mr Tim Gresson, of Timaru, who said he withdrew from a hotel bar room when some of the Lions appeared to want to rip his shirt. It is believed that other allegations about the team’s behaviour had been made also.