Rugby tests to be played on Sundays

Press, 10 April 1987, Page 38

Rugby tests to be played on Sundays

By

KEVIN HART of NZPA

Future rugby tests in New Zealand will be played on Sundays whenever possible. ■ _

That move was decided at yesterday’s annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union which agreed with a Wellington remit that the bulk of those involved in the game, club players, were being unnecessarily inconvenienced by Saturday tests.

The N.Z.R.U. chairman, Russell Thomas, said later he was surprised by the decision and could foresee a number of problems, including the unwillingness of some countries to play tests on a Sunday. While Australia and France are likely to have few qualms, countries such as Wales and England will probably wish to stay with the traditional Saturday. A further problem involves players who will not play on Sundays because of religious beliefs. A recent All Black, Steve Pokere, and the promising Auckland loose forward, Michael Jones, are two who fall into that category.

Mr Thomas said the stance of such players could not be used as a way round the new policy. “Test dates are chosen when a tour is arranged and well before the selection of a test side, and it would not be possible to change them at a later date because of the religious beliefs of players,” he said. There is the possibility of compromise, however, as the successful Wellington remit does not state that tests must be played on a Sunday. Rather, it asks the N.Z.R.U. “when negotiating tour itineraries for visiting teams, to make every endeavour to schedule all tests on Sundays.” If a test was scheduled for Saturday, the N.Z.R.U. would have to advise all provincial unions of the reasons. In putting the remit, the Wellington Rugby Union’s chairman, Graham Atkin, said that the majority of

rugby was played by the club player and he was the one inconvenienced most by Saturday tests. . Club players had the times of their matches switched and if the match was played early oh Saturday, ' team members went home to watch the test on television and the club received no bar takings. There was virtually no debate on the issue, and it passed on a vote despite the opposition of the Auckland and Canterbury unions. A Wanganui proposal clearing up the issue of representative players living in one union and playing in another was successful. The practice will now be allowed with the consent of both unions, and the consent must be arranged by January 1 each year. Mr Thomas said that the date stipulation ruled out the practice until next year.