Mr Wyllie predicts light punishment

Press, 12 June 1986, Page 1

Mr Wyllie predicts light punishment

PA Auckland The Canterbury rugby coach, Alex Wyllie, does not believe the rebel Cavaliers rugby players will be heavily punished. “It is not for me to make any judgments, but after what has happened to Colin Meads (the Cavaliers’ coach in South Africa) I can’t see anything much happening to them,” he said yesterday. Mr Wyllie, in Auckland to promote the book, “Glory Days,” about Canterbury’s Ranfurly Shield reign, said the treatment of Mr Meads by the New Zealand Rugby Union’s council would set the tone.

“Colin (Meads) has virtually been given what some people have called a slap on the hand and, because he was the only one connected with the New Zealand Rugby Union as an official, I can’t sde them doing much more to the players.” Canterbury’s next competition match is against Taranaki in July. Cavaliers from Canterbury would be available provided they met the 23-day N.Z.R.U. eligibility rule.

“It is not for me to make any rulings on them,” said Mr Wyllie. “If they are available for Canterbury that is what I will be looking at.” Few provincial unions approached yesterday seemed likely to back Canterbury’s call for a

review of Mr Meads’ penalty.

Unions that had met since the reprimand said they had not discussed the action or had arrived at no decision. Unions with meetings imminent mostly said the matter was not a topic for . discussion or might only be raised in general business. But Mr Chris Kennings, chairman of the young North Harbour union, predicted that reaction against the New Zealand Rugby Union’s treatment of Mr Meads would increase in the next few weeks.

The North Harbour union’s management committee will meet today. Mr ..Kennings was certain the Meads issue would be discussed. The Auckland chairman and New Zealand Union councillor, Mr Malcolrri Dick, said his union would discuss the Canterbury move.

The Taranaki chairman, Mr Leo Walsh, was surprised Mr Meads did not resign voluntarily. He said that attitude was a personal one and his union would discuss the matter.

The Bay of Plenty president, Mr Dick Littlejohn, a New Zealand union councillor and the man set to manage the All Blacks in South Africa last year, said he would be surprised if his union discussed Mr Meads’ position.