Women’s match as test prelude

Press, 7 May 1986, Page 8

Women’s match as test prelude

France will not be the only overseas rugby team to grace Lancaster Park on June 28, and the other may be even more graceful.

The Canterbury Rugby Union last evening gave Its approval for the first curtainraiser to the New ZealandFrance test to be a women’s match between Canterbury and the Rio Grande Surfers, from San Diego, California. The contact with Rio Grande was made by the Linwood women’s team which toured the United States in 1982. Linwood will host the team while it is in Christchurch.

Some seven years ago another American team played in the first women’s rugby match at Lancaster Park. It is, perhaps, noteworthy that permission for this latest game was given much quicker, and without the thought to obstacles, than was the case on the previous occasion.

A curtain-raiser might be played to next Wednesday night’s Trusteebank Cup senior final at Denton Park.

The competitions committee recommended that the runners-up in the two sections be invited to play an early match. However, it was felt by some union members that teams flight be unwilling to

play a game in which there was nothing at stake and which would mean three games in seven days for them.

It was decided to wait until after Saturday’s final section round and ascertain then the attitude’ of the teams which finished second.

Brent Ramsay, a former Albion senior player and coach, was appointed the Canterbury second grade selector for this season.

The judicial committee reported on its investigation into a fourth grade match between Sydenham and Hornby two weeks ago which was called off 20 minutes early.

The referee had called the game off because of scuffles and the backchat he was receiving. “The teams In this grade are made up of older types of players and it seems that they were having a young referee on. It is disappointing to see experienced players acting in this way,” said the committee’s chairman, Charlie Rhodes.

On his recommendation it was decided to write to both clubs expressing the union’s concern, and a letter is to be sent to all clubs reminding them of the attitude that is expected of all players towards referees.