Team to tour Japan

Press, 9 April 1987, Page 38

Team to tour Japan

PA Wellington A New Zealand representative rugby team will tour Japan in October. The chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union, Russell Thomas, said yesterday that the exact composition of the side had yet to be finalised, but it would include a number of players from the All Black squad for the inaugural World Cup.

“This will be an historic first for New Zealand in Asia,” said Mr Thomas, adding that negotiations with Japan had been underway for six months.

The tour was indicative, he said, of efforts by the

New Zealand Rugby Union to develop rugby around the world.

Recently, New Zealand had written to rugby officials in Canada, the United States, Argentina and Pacific Island countries seeking to provide assistance within the limits of available finance, Mr Thomas said.

The Canadian Rugby Union has requested a tour by a New Zealand under-19 team, and this may be undertaken as part of a reciprocal visit to Wales. The Welsh under-19 team will tour New Zealand this year. The Zimbabwe Rugby Union has also sought to

send a secondary school team to New Zealand next year. • The New Zealand Maoris will tour France in October next year. The side would play seven matches in France, but its programme would not include a full international, said Mr Thomas. Details of the tour, the first major venture by the Maoris since their 1982 tour of Wales and Spain, were still being negotiated, he said. The Maoris tour to Wales produced disappointing results with losses to Swansea, Llanelli and a Welsh XV, which was Wales in all but name.