Two N.Z, Rugby Teams To Visit Australia During Next Season

Wanganui Chronicle, 2 December 1950, Page 5

Two N.Z, Rugby Teams To Visit Australia During Next Season

WELLINGTON, Last. Night (PA-. Two New Zealand Rugby teams will tour Australia next year. The council of the New Zealand Rugby Union at its meeting in Wellington today decided to accept the invitation of the Australian Rugby Union to send an All Black team to tour the Commonwealth next year, and also granted permission to the New Zealand Universities Rugby Council to send a team to Australia. Permission to thM universities’ team was granted after hearing submissions by the president (Mr. C. A. Blazey) and the secretary (Mr. G. A. Parsons) of the N.Z. Universities’ Rugby Council. Mr. Blazey said that over the years New Zealand athletic, swimming and tennis teams had visited Australia ana no difficulty had been experienced in obtaining permission to make the tours. The New Zealand Universities had hoped Io have a match against the British Isles team this year, and ir they were now not. allowed to visit, Australia next year. University Rugby would be in a tight spot. Mr. Parsons stated that, visits between New Zealand and Australian University teams had started in 1907. and in 26 seasons 13 tours had been made. The visits of University teams had been most helpful to the Rugby game in Australia. The New Zealand Universities had been able so far to arrange their own finance for the tours. The University Rugoy Council had a good relationship with the unions in New Zealand. It was well established of assistance to Rugby and would like to have the backing of the N.Z. Rugby Union.

After the deputation had withdrawn, Mr A. St. C. Belcher, chairman of the council, moved that permission be granted to the N.Z. Universities Rugby Council to send a team to Australia next year. The motion was seconded by'Mr. H S. Strang (Southland). Mr F. E. Sutherland (Auckland) said it was proposed to send a New Zealand team to Australia next year, ana he considered it wrong in principle that two teams should tour from any country in the same season. It would be wrong in any amateur sport. University tours have usually been made in May, just at the height, of club fotball. New Zealand chib football had been disrupted for the past few years, and next year would be a chance to regain its footing. On the motion being put. it was carried by a large majority. Mr. Sutherland voting in the negative.