North Union Not Breaking International Rules

Northern Advocate, 17 June 1947, Page 2

North Union Not Breaking International Rules

RANFURLY SHIELD CHALLENGE

THE arrangements for Northland’s Ranfurly Shield challenge match against Southland on August 9 came up for discussion at a meeting of the management committee of the New Ae a an( Rugby Union in Wellington yesterday. ... ~ , r f Press reports in the South had apparently led to the belief that the Northlanders would be in Invercargill eight days before the match and the chairman (Mr S. S. Dean) stated that i 11S was so, the arrangement was contrary to the rules. However such is not the case and the NARU does not expect to have to make any revision of its plans for the team s ltmetaiy.

Northland plays Auckland at Eden Park on August 2 and leaves Auckland by air for Christchurch on the following Monday. The trip from Christchurch to Invercargill is being made by tail, the Northlanders arriving at the Southland capital on the Tuesday evening. ,

two ov three days before the match should be adequate under the rules. NO MATCH AT WELLINGTON

The Northland team will not be , playing Wellington on August 16 on its | way home from Invercargill. The NARU has received notification j that the date is not suitable to the i Wellington Union as its championship | final is" set down for decision that day. However there is a possibility that a match will be played against Wairarapa. This union is seeking a fixture* and the matter will be discussed at the meeting of the NARU management committee on Monday night. B. Couch, the All Black five-eighth now in Australia, is a Wairarapa representative. He was a member of the East Coast Maori team which lost the Prince of Wales Cup to Tai Tokeruu at Whangarei last season. PROCTOR REMAINS LOYAL

'"This gives the team only three days in Invercargill prior to the game,’ said Mr D. K. Ross, chairman of The NARU management committee, when approached on the matter this morning.

"This should meet with the approval of the NZRU and comply with the rules."

In his statement in Wellington yesterday. Mr Dean said that the question of tlie assembling of the teams before a match had cropped up during the 1930 lour of New Zealand by the British team.

If had always been the practice in this country to assemble teams for a week before a big match, but the International Board had subsequently given a ruling that it was contrary to the spirit of amateur football that a team should be assembled during a period before the match for the purpose of a change of air or for training.

Ike Proctor is not transferring from Rugby Union to Rugby League football. The ex-Kiwi. Northland and Whangarci live-eighth, has declined the offers made by Auckland and South Auckland clubs, and will continue to turn out for the City club in'Whangarei. , , Proctor had been approached on behalf of the 13-a-side code early in the season.

Mr Dean intimated that a reasonable period would be quite permissible, but a spell of a week applied only when a team was undertaking a big overseas tour and when tests were pending. Members agreed .that in the case or Northland travelling to Invercargill

His decision will be good news to Rugby devotees throughout Northland, as he is considered a certainty for the trip to Invercargill. His solidity will be a comforting thought on D Day of the campaign against Southland.