Wigan’s attitude upsets officials

Press, 13 April 1989, Page 34

Wigan’s attitude upsets officials

PA Auckland Angry New Zealand Rugby League administrators believe they are being set up by English glamour club Wigan over the availability of its star centre, Kevin Iro. Yesterday they took the unprecedented step of releasing correspondence between themselves and Wigan to back their argument. The N.Z.R.L. executive director, Mike Knowles, said Wigan had been “less than honest” in its handling of the matter.

“Wigan chairman, Maurice Lindsay, asked a simple favour. We bent the rules to suit him and now he wants something completely different. “I am certain he was working to a different agenda all along.” This is the second successive year Iro has found himself at the centre of a public squabble between his British club and New Zealand officials. Last year’s wrangle seemed to be resolved during discussions in Sydney between New Zealand and English officials,

one of whom was Mr Lindsay. It was agreed there that all New Zealanders on off-season transfer would return home by March 31. For its part. New Zealand would release players needed for the Wembley final 10 days before the big event. Days after Wigan qualified for this year’s final, the N.Z.R.L. got a letter from Mr Lindsay, acknowledging that Iro could not play beyond March 31, but requesting permission for him to stay in England because "the travel

involved could impair his performance." New Zealand granted the request In a letter dated March 29. The following day, it received a fax from Mr Lindsay's home signed by iro requesting permission to plav through until the April 29 Challenge Cup final. Iro cited “match fitness" as the basis for his request. Mr Knowles responded, stating the original conditions for the dispensation would stand.