ROUGH PLAY ALLEGED

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29221, 3 June 1960, Page 13

ROUGH PLAY ALLEGED

Claims Nonsense, Says Pearce (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) KIMBERLEY, June 1. Reports in today’s South African newspapers that the All Blacks played over-robust football against Natal at Durban yesterday were termed “nonsense” today by the All Blacks manager (Mr T. H. Pearce). In the Port Elizabeth "Evening Post,” Rugby writer James Hattie said, “There was a lot of mean play by the tourists—obstructing, tackling and pushing players without the ball, and unnecessary hacking in loose mauls.” “These side-line critics evidently saw more than the people who actually played,” said Mr Pearce. “The match was hard, but to say we played too robustly is utter nonsense.” Commenting on the match. Hattie said, “The All Blacks show very little imagination outside the scrum. Urbahn gave very ordinary service and the inside backs seldom made any progress against the stiff defence.

“Caulton and Watt on the wings, made no impression at all."

The Johannesburg “Star” said many South Africans displayed a “disgraceful” attitude toward the New Zealanders during the match.

Hie “Star” said: “While the Natal teanj excelled themselves against the All Blacks, the majority of fans supporting them displayed disgraceful behaviour. “If this can be taken as an indication of what may occur in other places, incidents such as were at one time anticipated oh this tour may develop. “The spectators were quick to boo P. F. H. Jones and C. E. Meads for robust and obstructionist tactics—perhaps not without cause—but they were particularly unsporting to All Black fullback, D. B. Clarke.” The newspaper said the crowd’s conduct angered the New Zealand forwards into “showing their teeth.” with the risk that further matches might provoke unpleasant incidents.