RUGBY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 275, 19 November 1937, Page 4

RUGBY

TOUR OF AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND ACTION AUCKLAND PROTESTS. [ Per Press Association. ] AUCKLAND, Nov. 17. Protests against the decision of the New Zealand Rugby Union not to send a team to Australia next year were received by the Management Committee of the Auckland Rugby Union to-night from the .South Auckland Union and the Manukau Club. Members unanimously decided to support the protests and to urge lhe New Zealand Union to reconsider its decision. APPEAL FROM AUSTRALIA REOPENING OF MATTER. The surprise created by the decision of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union’s Council not to send a team to Australia next year has been general, and there seems to be every likelihood of a reopening of the matter at the next meeting of the council. The understanding was that New Zealand had committed itself to sending a team to Australia next year under one of the agreements made periodically with the controlling body of Rugby in Australia. It is stated that officials in New South Wales consider that New Zealand would gain more from a sevenweeks’ tour of Australia next season than by concentrating purely on club games. The New South Wales Rugby Union has asked the New Zealand • Rugby Union to consider the whole i position again, and in doing so the i management committee makes the j following points:— 1. A visit next season would coincide with the 150th. anniversary celebrations, and was arranged for that I reason. 2. It is of prime importance to the Australian unions that an Australian team to visit England in 1939-40 be developed. 3. The New Zealand Union is reminded that there was an agreement between the unions in 1936 that a team should visit Australia in 1938, and possibly members who voted lor the cancellation were unaware of this. 4. It would be most inopportune to receive a team in as the -Austra-

lians leave for England in July. I 5. New Zealand does not send team in 1938 or 1939—the latter yean being unsuitable—the team could not | come until 1941, as New Zealand goes I to South Africa in 1940.