Rugby tour

Press, 24 April 1986, Page 12

Rugby tour

Sir, —lan Kirkpatrick showed diplomacy and much wisdom in his statement that the New Zealand team be called Cavaliers and not All Blacks and that politics would be kept out and the players not converse on that subject for the duration of the tour. The New Zealand National Party made political gain from rugby contacts when Sir Robert Muldoon’s astute fence-sitting and change of attitude won for his party the 1981 election in the same year as the Springbok tour of our country. As history shows, it was Sir Robert who, on behalf of his country, signed the Gleneagles Agreement for non-sport-ing contact with South Africa. The South African Government is gleeful that a New Zealand rugby team is competing with the Springboks. The South African Rugby Board is seen as the puppet of its Government in this intriguing situation.—Yours, etc., ALAN RUSSELL. April 22, 1986. Sir, —When sporting officials are under pressure they often say very silly things. “The Press” (April 22) surely has one. Mr L. Russell (president, C.R.F.U.) said footballers were not permitted to travel overseas when required for representative fixtures. The same man talked a lot about freedom in 1981 and 1985. Now, having climbed into the "hot seat,” it is a different story. What absolute nonsense to say that any representative footballer is not permitted to travel overseas. I will have to insist in July next that my son plays so badly that he will not be selected for the under-age representative team if he is to accompany us on our planned trip to Surfers! Come again Mr Russell. Players are free to go or not to go overseas when they like. We have not yet joined the Eastern Bloc where people are regimented in every movement. —Yours, etc., N. J. JONES. April 22, 1986.