N.Z. league wants final this season

Press, 21 July 1988, Page 44

N.Z. league wants final this season

By

JOHN COFFEY

New Zealand Rugby League officials will continue to press for the World Cup final against Australia to be played at Eden Park in Auckland on October 2.

Mr George Rainey, the N.Z.R.L. president, said yesterday he was not swayed by suggestions from Australia that the cup final might have to be delayed until next season. The Australian objections were three-pronged, according to an AAP message from Sydney.

A number of Australian test players will by then have linked up with British clubs; those remaining at home will have progressively dropped out of football leading up to the Sydney grand final on September 11; and television networks might be reluctant to cover the match because of a clash with the Olympic Games closing ceremony.

“It is time the Australians got used to having international football,” said Mr Rainey from Auckland.

“For years now we have had to bring players back from overseas — Australia as well as Britain — for test matches. The Australians are just learning of such things,” he said.

An International Board ruling requires overseas clubs to release players for national teams when

called upon. In the past Australia has retained “train-on squads of Kangaroo candidates as clubs have completed their seasons prior to tours to Britain and France. New Zealand would be equally handicapped this time. Mark Graham, Clayton Friend and Sam Stewart all complete their Sydney commitments as early as August 14.

Five Kiwi backs — Gary Mercer, Shane Horo, Dean Bell, Kevin Iro and Shane Cooper, and the prop, Adrian Shelford — will be with British clubs later this year. But only Cooper and Shelford are on full clearances.

Mr Rainey was surprised his Australian counterpart, Mr Ken Arthurson, had suggested the match date be discussed at a meeting of national league presidents in Sydney next week.

“The International Board meeting in Sydney last month decided the cup final would take place this year. It was Australia’s idea, and they graciously forfeited home ground advantage to the other finalist,” said Mr Rainey.

“We have acted in good faith in obtaining Eden Park and setting the date. The matters raised by Mr Arthurson were actually discussed with him when he was in Christchurch last Saturday, and there seemed to be no real objection to our decision.

“I want to clear the matter up as soon £is possible. I don’t see what it has to do with the presidents of the British, French or Papua New Guinea leagues,” said Mr Rainey. Nor was Mr Rainey impressed by a recommendation from Television New Zealand that the cup final be held a week later to avoid the Olympic closing ceremony. “We have a letter offering the princely sum of about $lO,OOO to cover the game. I would have thought October 2 was convenient because TV would have its equipment at Eden Park from the Ranfurly Shield match the day before. They will no doubt cover that in one form or another. “But when TV comes back with an offer nearer $200,000 then we can look at a serious proposal,” said Mr Rainey.