Rugby Union: S Africa under pressure

A DECISION on whether South Africa can host the 1995 rugby World Cup may have to be made by the end of the year, Eddie Tonks, the New Zealand Rugby Football Union chairman, said yesterday.

Tonks said there was concern at the internal disputes in South Africa and he urged the country's sporting and political groups to sort out their differences so planning for the World Cup could be properly co-ordinated.

The National Sports Congress and African National Congress claim promises to develop black rugby have not been followed through. The NSC has threatened to withdraw support for the World Cup and yesterday said it would block future South African rugby tours abroad until the sport was promoted in black areas. The NSC aims to prevent proposed visits to Britain by the South African Barbarians and two provincial teams.

Tonks said commercial contracts for the World Cup meant a final decision on South Africa had to be made in a few months.

'If you've got a contract to have the game in South Africa,' Tonks said, 'and suddenly you switch it to New Zealand or Australia, then you've got room for legal manoeuvres and that's got to be of concern to Russ Thomas (chairman of the organisers) and his committee, which is in effect the International Rugby Board.'

The actual playing of the games was not a problem, Tonks said. New Zealand, or any other country, would only need six months notice to ensure the tournament went ahead. 'I'm only hoping all the parties over there genuinely want the Cup and if they do then they've got to cut out haranguing each other.'

New Zealand was willing to take over the tournament but was not pressing its case. 'We, as a part of the IRB, allocated the Cup to South Africa and now we have to ask South Africa for assurances on every aspect of the World Cup,' Tonks said.

The NZRFU said yesterday that results of drug tests carried out on nine South African players went missing because of an 'administrative hiccup'. The tests were carried out during the recent All Blacks tour to South Africa. The NZRFU said it now had everything it needed and that all the tests had been negative.

Pontypool have banned their flanker Steve Jackson for one match and warned him about his future conduct for throwing a punch at Cardiff's Hemi Taylor during last Saturday's Heineken League match.