League chairman backs McGahan’s suggestion

Press, 6 December 1989, Page 84

League chairman backs McGahan’s suggestion

PA Wellington The New Zealand Rugby League chairman, George Rainey, says he agrees with the Kiwi captain, Hugh McGahan, that in future France should be toured either before Britain or separately. Mr Rainey said the N.Z.R.L. spent a lot of time this year trying to arrange the Kiwis tour of France before moving on to Britain for the more difficult section. “France and Britain had agreed to it initially,” he said. “But when it came to the crunch the French said they couldn’t play until the grapes had been picked. “The British requested that we be out of there by the second week of November.”

He was confident that had the Kiwis toured France first, it would have worked considerably, in New Zealand’s favour.

"We might have even won the World Cup points and the deciding third test against Britain, or at least had a better chance. “The one certainty is that we could have slotted in a few more games in Britain,” Mr Rainey

said. But most importantly the Kiwis could have worked themselves into a better frame of mind had they started on the easier leg of the tour first.

“It makes more sense to gear up for the tough end of a tour by

starting with easier games,” Mr Rainey said. “It was difficult for the boys having to do a tough tour and then go off to play in a strange place, with different language and food. “It was hard for them in France because the main objective on the tour was the British section and having to motivate themselves over again would have been difficult.”

He envisaged a change in future to suit the tourists and, barring that, a separate tour of France. “Those are the options we have, and I fully agree with what Hugh has said,” Mr Rainey said. Meanwhile, the N.Z.R.L. is not likely to discuss the controversial tour until early next year. “We won’t be talking about it at least until after Christmas or a few weeks beyond that,” Mr Rainey said. Tlie N.Z.R.L. board will await the manager’s report before any discussion on several incidents including one player being sent home, three players being convicted in Spain and a match being missed.