Tour cancellation brings relief

Press, 4 December 1985, Page 3

Tour cancellation brings relief

NZPA-Reuter London Britain yesterday expressed relief over a decision by South Africa to cancel a planned visit by the British Lions Rugby union team, saying the move cleared the way for a trouble-free Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh next year. . The Sports Minister, Mr Richard Tracey, said, “If the tour had gone ahead, some competing nations would have withdrawn from the Commonwealth Games.” The South African Rugby Board said yesterday it had withdrawn an invitation to the British team to tour the country next year so that relations with the four British domestic rugby organisations could remain intact. There has been mounting pressure in Britain for the tour to be cancelled after civil unrest in South Africa

which has claimed more than 900 lives since last year.

•Mr John Lawrence, secretary of the Home Rugby Union Tours Committee, said he was disappointed at the South African decision. Mr Kenneth Borthwick, chairman of the Commonwealth Games organising committee, said, “This is great news. There has been only one cloud on our horizon ... and that has been the projected tour of the British Lions to South Africa.” In Wellington, the chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union, Mr Ces Blazey, said that the South African Rugby Board was still hoping circumstances in the republic would change to allow a return to regular touring. Mr Blazey said yesterday

that the South African Rugby Board was keen ’to retain links with the International Rugby Board. “They are hoping for the future., As. the circumstances are at the present they are not issuing an invitation, but they are hopeful things will change. “With all the talk of rebel tours in the last few days and payment of money to players, whoever they may be, it is very important to South Africa that they stay in the 1.R.8.,” he said. There was a difference, said Mr Blazey, between the aborted All Black tour to the republic in July and the halting of next year’s British Lions tour. “This is not a cancellation. The South African Rugby Board is just not issuing an invitation to the four Home Unions,” he said.