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Rugby: TAB, NZRFU make up after betting row
19.05.2000 -
WELLINGTON - The faxes flew between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and the TAB yesterday, but by the end of the day both sides had agreed, publicly at least, to kiss and make up.
The NZRFU was upset the betting agency had questioned the strength of the Scotland squad set to tour New Zealand.
TAB sports betting manager Neil Sorensen had labelled the tour party a joke and an insult to rugby in New Zealand.
He said the TAB was considering refusing to take bets on who the winners would be in the tests against the All Blacks in Dunedin on June 24 and Auckland on July 1.
"There's no point in having the All Blacks at $1.01, there's absolutely no incentive for our $5 and $10 punters to get involved," Sorensen said.
Such comments angered NZRFU chief executive David Rutherford, who vented his dissatisfaction to TAB counterpart Glen Maguren.
There was even a suggestion that the NZRFU, at its monthly board meeting in Wellington yesterday, would discuss dropping its sanction for betting on rugby.
By last night everything had been smoothed over.
The TAB had agreed to apologise to the NZRFU for being "overexuberant" in expressing its opinion, although it stuck to its guns in believing Scotland would be outclassed by the All Blacks.
The TAB received support from Australia's Centrebet, whose manager, Gerard Daffy, agreed with Sorensen's evaluation of Scotland's chances.
"They've got no hope," Daffy said.
He said Centrebet would offer $21 on Scotland beating New Zealand and $1.01 on an All Blacks victory. Most money would go on the points margin the All Blacks would win by.
Rutherford had little time for such views.
"We respect this Scottish side because the last team they beat was England to deny them the Grand Slam [and] 14 of the 16 players who did that are touring New Zealand. It appears the TAB have forgotten exactly who defeated England."-NZPA
19.05.2000 -
WELLINGTON - The faxes flew between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and the TAB yesterday, but by the end of the day both sides had agreed, publicly at least, to kiss and make up.
The NZRFU was upset the betting agency had questioned the strength of the Scotland squad set to tour New Zealand.
TAB sports betting manager Neil Sorensen had labelled the tour party a joke and an insult to rugby in New Zealand.
He said the TAB was considering refusing to take bets on who the winners would be in the tests against the All Blacks in Dunedin on June 24 and Auckland on July 1.
"There's no point in having the All Blacks at $1.01, there's absolutely no incentive for our $5 and $10 punters to get involved," Sorensen said.
Such comments angered NZRFU chief executive David Rutherford, who vented his dissatisfaction to TAB counterpart Glen Maguren.
There was even a suggestion that the NZRFU, at its monthly board meeting in Wellington yesterday, would discuss dropping its sanction for betting on rugby.
By last night everything had been smoothed over.
The TAB had agreed to apologise to the NZRFU for being "overexuberant" in expressing its opinion, although it stuck to its guns in believing Scotland would be outclassed by the All Blacks.
The TAB received support from Australia's Centrebet, whose manager, Gerard Daffy, agreed with Sorensen's evaluation of Scotland's chances.
"They've got no hope," Daffy said.
He said Centrebet would offer $21 on Scotland beating New Zealand and $1.01 on an All Blacks victory. Most money would go on the points margin the All Blacks would win by.
Rutherford had little time for such views.
"We respect this Scottish side because the last team they beat was England to deny them the Grand Slam [and] 14 of the 16 players who did that are touring New Zealand. It appears the TAB have forgotten exactly who defeated England."-NZPA
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