THAT ENGLISH VISIT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20103, 23 March 1928, Page 5

THAT ENGLISH VISIT

RUGBY BOARD SEVERELY CRITICISED. (A.P.-Sun) LONDON, March 21. ‘ ‘ Insulting is the word used by Sporting Life to describe the International Rugby Board's decision not to send a team to New Zealand in response to the Dominion’s invitation, which it says is unquestionably a real menace to the Angle-Dominions* Rugby Union. Prominence is given to-day to the cabled statement of Mr S. I' 1 . Wilson, the New Zealand delegate to the international conference in J 925, that no British team will ever visit New Zealand as Jong as the men at present in charge of affairs in Scotland and Ireland have a say in the matter, significantly adding that it will not affect the visits of their team to England. Sporting Life’s expert (Air C. W. Packford) in an article, says: “The time has undoubtedly arrived when drastic action must be adopted if Britain is to retain the Dominions as Rugby friends. The constitution of the Board is all wrong. Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa merely occupy a position of outcasts incapable of discussing an important point in common with the Council of the Home Unions. England is the best friend the Dominions possess. Wales appears neutral, Scotland is violently antagonistic to her overseas brothers, and Ireland gives the impression of supporting Scotland in everything, and the attitude of Scotland towards New Zealand is anything but pleasurable. “Surely,” adds Mr Packford, “we are not going to lose the friendship of three centres of the Empire which have given some of the most magnificent players and sportsmen the game ever produced.” It is understood that the International Rugby Board’s majority dccison not to

send a team to New Zealand in 1930 is unlikely to prevent a team going. It* the English Union is unable meanwhile to persuade the other three Unions to eo-opcratc, it is likely to send a purely English team. “We do not know what underlies the Scottish opposition,” said an authority. “It cannot definitely be said -whether they are trying to abolish international tours, but they are certainly not sympathetic towards them. The Irish members support them. Thus the Board is divided. One section believes that the tours should be encouraged in the interests of Empire sentiment as well as sport, while the other stubbornly opposes them.”