FOOTBALL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19446, 4 November 1925, Page 4

FOOTBALL

INTERNATIONAL RUGBY PROPOSED VISIT OF DOMINION TEAMS TO FRANCE. PARIS, Sept. 24. Mr Cyril Rutherford, international secretary of the French Rugby Federation, who has in hand the arrangements for the proposed visit of Australian and New Zealand teams to France, has received a letter from Mr S. S. Dean, in which the manager of the All Blacks and chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Federation states that the Maori Federation is ready to make up a team which will be in all respects as good as the official New Zealand team. Mr Dean is also most anxious that the French should send a representative team to Now Zealand. It has not been easy for Mr Rutherford to arrange tentative dates; both the Australian and New Zealand teams are anxious to visit France at the same time in 1926, while the French team has been invited to New Zealand for 1927. However, thanks to the difference in seasons, it is hoped that the fixtures may be arranged satisfactorily, i A Suggestion. While the French would prefer the Maoris to come only in 1927, it is suggested that the Australian team should be inivited for October and November, 1926, the Maori team arriving at the same time, or rather later, while the French team would leave for New Zealand in May, 1927, returning in October. It is not anticipated that there would be any difficulty in getting a French team together, as two years ago all the players who were approached consented to go. With regard to the organisation of the Australian and New Zealand matches in France, the French Rugby Federation would organise three important matches, regional clubs being responsible for the remainder. The visiting teams might afterwards proceed to England provided the English Rugby Union paid part of the costs of the voyage. With regard to the proposed tour of the French team, it is suggested that they should play some I seventeen matches in New Zealand and three in Australia.