N.Z. RUGBY ATTACKED

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29271, 1 August 1960, Page 12

N.Z. RUGBY ATTACKED

“Win At All Costs” [From GRAEME JENKINS, N.Z.P.A. Staff Correspondent] JOHANNESBURG, July 31. Rugby in New Zealand had become a sort of “Nazism win at all costs at home or abroad,” says a Dunedin man writing to the Johannesburg “Sunday Express” columnist, Ray Woodley. “I sincerely hope the Springboks win the next two tests,” writes Gerald Symes, of Dunedin, whose letter gets prominence in today’s newspaper under the heading “Kiwi Slates All Blacks.” The letter reads: “As a New Zealander I would like you to know that I greatly appreciate your cracks about Tom Pearce. It’s high time someone put him in his place and I only hope you will be kind enough to publish my remarks. “In New Zealand, Rugby has become a sort of Nazism win at all costs at home or abroad. Few true sportsmen will ever forget a

gallant, bruised and battered team of Britishers going down 17-18 in the first test in New Zealand, being penalised six times because they had the audacity to play open Rugby and thus cross their opponents’ line.

‘•Club Rugby at home is a terrible thing to witness. At Newlands I was horrified to see Colin Meads play his usual ‘fistic game’ with victory on his side. I sincerely hope the Springboks win the next two test matches and also that your referees will have the courage to send off the field Meads and company. Yes, even in an international This is the only way to clean up New Zealand Rugby, which I am sad to say is blacker than the players rig out.” The columnist, who has been one of the most outspoken critics of the team, does not make clear whether the writer of the letter is at present in South Africa or whether it was written from New Zealand. As the players have received no New Zealand mail to date in which their test win is mentioned, however. It is believed the writer must be at present in this country.