Stretching a Point The British Universities rugby party which will
tour south-west France is certainly an im- pressive one, not least because of the inclusion of Ken Jones and Ray McLaughlin, respectively the best centre and the best prop-forward in the four countries. Still, their selection is a bit surprising. Both are experienced internationals in their mid-twenties, and neither is a university player in the normal sense of the term. McLaughlin is doing a PhD at Newcastle and also lectures part-time in mathematics; he plays not for the university but for Gosforth. Jones, who was at Oxford in 1963-64, did not appear in last year's university match; he now plays regularly for Llanelly and lives in Wales but 'maintains a connection' with Oxford. (Presum- ably he is keeping his name on the college books in order to make up for time lost on the Welsh tour of South Africa.) I wish him, and McLaughlin, every success, as I do the whole party. But their choice is—how can one put it?— well, stretching a point. If the British selectors can get up to this kind of thing, I feel sure that the French will be even more lucky in suddenly discovering 'university players' who, by a happy chance, are also seasoned internationals.
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