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Star (Christchurch), Issue 18161, 21 May 1927, Page 6

Dominions Slighted. Commenting on the decisions of the International Board at a meeting held the day before the England-Scotland match, “ London Sporting Life ” says: The decision of the International Rugby Board that the unions of South Africa, New Zealand and New South Wales are to be invited to an international conference every three years to discuss matters of interest to the game is a pitifully weak attempt to satisfy the desires of those great centres of Rugby football. This is emphasised by the fact that at the same time the board ruled that there would be no alteration to the laws until three Years had elapsed, and so it necessarily fol lows that the dominion unions will j be prevented for that long period of time from participating in Rugby affairs. As far as they possibly dare the International Board have slighted our overseas unions. There can be no other interpretation of what has happened, and, knowing the feeling among Rugby men of the dominions as we do, we fear it will lead to an emphatic protest, and perhaps worse. For their own self-respect the dominions unions cannot accept such a ruling, and wc are convinced they will not do so. Why are not a certain section of the board sufficiently honest to say outright that they do not intend to tolerate outside interference in the government of the game? It would be far better to have a definite split than to insult men who, after all. are as much con- . cerned for the welfare of the game as anyone over here.