WAR-TIME RUGBY

Evening Star, Issue 23565, 2 May 1940, Page 4

WAR-TIME RUGBY

NO ORGANISED TOURS INTERISLAND MATCH POSTPONED [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, May 1." The council of the New Zealand Rugby Union at a meeting to-night unanimously decided to recommend to the annual meeting of delegates to-morrow that no international, Ranfurly Shield, or Prince of Wales Cup matches be played during the war. It was also decided to recommend that no organised tours be undertaken, representative matches to be confined to week-end and holiday games, and that the annual interisland match be postponed during the war. . The chairman (Mr S. S. Dean) reported that he had interviewed the Minister of Supply (Hon. D. G. Sullivan) and the Commissioner of Transport (Mr G. L. Laurenson), who had assured him that petrol would bo available to convey Rugby players to matches so long as its distribution was under control and was not abused. Rugby unions, said Mr Dean, could got all the petrol they wanted, provided they appointed a reputable person in the district to safeguard the department and the union. Where transport services were available footballers would have to travel by them. It was agreed to extend the rate of interest on loans to unions at per cent, for the duration of the war. Mr E. M'Keuzic, sole selector for the New Zealand Union, reported that no good purpose would be served by continuing to hold the minor union’s interisland match, and it was decided to drop the fixture.