Rugby Union gets letter from Mr Lange

Press, 3 October 1985, Page 6

Rugby Union gets letter from Mr Lange

PA Wellington The Prime Minister, Mr Lange, has sent the New Zealand Rugby Union a letter about the union’s giving a former All Black clearance to play in South Africa, the “Dominion” newspaper reported. Mr Lange’s letter, sent two weeks ago in his capa-

city as Minister of Foreign Affairs, is believed to express concern about the union’s approval for the Waikato and former Maori All Black back, Arthur Stone, to play in South Africa.

The union’s chairman, Mr Ces Blazey, had replied to

Mr Lange and said that he would take up the matter in public session at a meeting of union councillors in Wellington on Friday, the “Dominion” said.

A spokesman for Mr Lange said there had been an exchange of letters but said it was up to the union to reveal their contents.

Stone, aged 24, is on a private trip and received a clearance from the union’s executive on August 5 to play in the United States and in South Africa.

Stone missed selection for the aborted All Black tour of South Africa and applied for an overseas clearance after the touring side had been named.

Mr Blazey said it was a usual procedure for players to apply to the union for clearance to play overseas if they were travelling privately, the “Dominion” reported. “Our job, once the players concerned have met their own obligations such as passports, is to ensure they have met obligations in the rugby sense,” he said. “Provided everything is in order, it is their right to go and it is not our right to stop them.” Mr Blazey said it was an almost weekly occurrence for the executive to approve clearances for players wanting to play overseas while travelling privately.