LEAGUE RUGBY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 15, 18 January 1940, Page 6

LEAGUE RUGBY

SMALL PROSPEdt OF

TOURING

(By Te'permph i-r.-ss Association.! ; AUCKLAND, January 17.

'•The Australian Rugby . League seems to be jumping to conclusions," said Mr. J. A. Redwood, president of the New Zealand Rugby League Council, when referring to a cablegram ' published today, which stated that the New Zealand Rugby League's offer to send a team to Australia this year ■ would almost certainly be accepted. "We "have made no offer to send a

team to Australia, neither have we in any way officially communicated with v

the Australian League concerning the trip,'" Mr. Redwood said. -- - f ' ' • After the return of the Dominion team from England, he added,-it was hoped that matches, with ' Australia would be. arranged this year, but nothing officially was decided, ahd J at the present time the League was - more concerned with the war and1 labour conditions. - - - -." '

_ /With the present call to service- to young men, there is practically no possibility of a tour eventuating—either a ; New Zealand team .to-Australia .or. a Dominion tour by an' Australian team,* added Mr. Redwood. "We do not want the public to think we are more con.cerned about footballs than the pra» sent'wartime conditions."','

DEPENDS ON SITUATION *

(Received January .18, 10 a.m.) ' ■" ' " ' SYDNEY, This Day.

Mr. Flegg, chairman of. the Aus» tralian Rugby League Board of Control^ referring to Mr. Redwood's statement said: "We have had an" official communication from the;. New,, Zealand Rugby- League regarding'a"tour this year and the negotiations have b£en ( so definite that the Queensland and - New South- Wales Leagues have both i expressed'approval of the tentative pro-. • posal to have,. a New Zealand • team' here next season." Any decision, how- • ever, said Mr. Flegg, would be de» ' pendent oh the world situation being ■ such as .to.permit the tour taking place.