Decision in May on rugby rebels

Press, 15 April 1986, Page 29

Decision in May on rugby rebels

PA Wellington Unless a special meeting is called earlier, the New Zealand Rugby Union will not discuss the actions of the. rebel players to South Africa until May 14. The New Zealand councillor, Mr Tom Cunningham, said yesterday a decision on on the rebel tourists who left for the republic last night would be made at the May meeting. “I can assure you the matter will be discussed at our mid-May meeting,” said Mr Cunningham. "This is not good for us (the N.Z.R.U.). At the moment our heads are only bobbling above the water.” The May 14 meeting will be the last assembly of the present council, headed by the outgoing chairman, Mr Ces Blazey. The N.Z.R.U.’s annual meeting will be held on May 15. The first meeting of the new council will sit on May 16.

The last official All Black tour to the republic was in 1976, which led to a widespread boycott of the Montreal Olympic Games.

The Chairman of the New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association, Mr Roy Dutton, said yesterday he feared the rebel tour will be detrimental to the New Zealand team at Edinburgh.

At least 13 of the rebel players were expected to leave Sydney yesterday for South Africa.

They were understood to be Robbie Deans, Craig Green, Mike Clamp, Bernie Fraser, Victor Simpson,

Stephen Pokere, Steve McDowell, Scott Crichton, Alan Whetton, Albert Anderson, Murray Pierce, Gary Whetton and Jock Hobbs.

Most of the players boarded flights from Wellington and Christchurch on Sunday night, straight after playing the first-round games in the South Pacific Championship.

Mr Cunningham said the rebel players were unlikely to wear the All Black jerseys set aside for last year’s aborted tour of South Africa.

"It is my belief last year's gear is still in New Zealand. If the jerseys were in South Africa I would assume the South African Rugby Board would have them.

“The rebel players would not be able to get their hands on the jerseys, as Danie Craven has already said to Ces (Blazey) the S.A.R.B. has nothing to do with the tour,” said Mr Cunninghajn. However, the Taranaki winger, Bryce Robins, said on Sunday his invitation had come from the South African board.

Mr Cunningham believed Robins had made an error and the invitation had probably come from the Transvaal union.

“I must add Robins was not one of the players invited by Transvaal which came through the N.Z.R.U.,” he said.

Mr Cunningham was furious at statements by the Prime Minister, Mr Lange. "I’m disappointed at the Prime Minister’s remarks without consulting us first. We had nothing to do with this tour,” said Mr Cunningham.

He said nine All Blacks had been given approval to travel to the international board matches — Murray Mexted, Gary Knight, Warwick Taylor, Wayne Smith, John Kirwan, Andy Haden, Mark Shaw, Andy Dalton and Dave Loveridge. "There was nothing further from our dreams that those players would be going to South Africa after playing in England and Wales.” Seven players were given approval to take part in the Transvaal Rugby Union’s games — Bernie Fraser, Murray Pierce, Alan Whetton, Gary Whetton, Grant Fox, Jock Hobbs, and Albert Anderson.

"The New Zealand union were totally unaware other players would be going anywhere else to play rugby.” The Rhodes scholar, David Kirk, and the Auckland wing, John Kirwan, are the only two members of the 1985 AU Blacks stopped from going to the republic to cry off from the rebel tour.

The full rebel tour party is expected to be: Kieran Crowley, Robbie Deans, Bernie Fraser, Bryce Robins, Craig Green, Mike Clamp, Stephen Pokere, Bill Osborne, Victor Simpson, Warwick Taylor, Grant Fox, Wayne Smith, Andrew Donald, Dave Loveridge, Wayne Shelford, Mi Mexted,

.iielfora, ...urray Mexteo, Jock Hobbs, Mark Shaw, Frank Shelford, Alan Whetton, Andy Haden, Murray Pierce, Albert Anderson, Gary Whetton, Gary Knight, Scott Crichton, Steve McDowell, John Ashworth, Andy Dalton, Hika Reid.

Coach: Mr Colin Meads. Manager: Mr lan Kirkpatrick.