‘Armchair programme’ promoted

Press, 17 May 1989, Page 64

‘Armchair programme’ promoted

Not all rugby enthusiasts can get to Lancaster Park for the first test between France and the All Blacks on June 17, but anyone, at a little extra cost, can watch the game armed with the official match programme. The promotion of the "armchair programme” was recommended at the Canterbury Rugby Union’s management committee meeting last evening by the programme committee convener, Neil Blanchfield, and received

enthusiastic backing. At a cost of $5 — $3 for the programme and $2 for the fastpost fee — television viewers in residences which have Saturday delivery will receive their test programme that morning. Many rugby supporters often write to the union of a home test requesting a programme after the event but Mr Blanchfield’s scheme will allow them to have one before the test. . With as many as one million people likely to

watch the test live on television, Mr Blanchfield estimates that anything between a few hundred to thousands of programmes could be sold in advance. As an added incentive all programmes will be numbered and it is hoped that a number will be drawn at half-time and announced on television, the winner receiving an air ticket to Auckland for the Bledisloe Cup test between Australia and New Zealand at Eden Park on August 5.

• Canterbury’s match against Bay of Plenty in the national championship has been confirmed for Rotorua on August 26. • Illness has forced Brian Gardiner to step down from the senior referees’ panel. He has been replaced by John Hanson. • A New Brighton under 21 player, M. Sweatmore, who was ordered off for foul play, has been suspended for three playing Saturdays. A Burnside senior player, Ron Grossi, was regraded to fourth grade.