Springboks Are Stronger

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30365, 14 February 1964, Page 6

Springboks Are Stronger

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, February 13. The present South African team was a good deal stronger than the sides which played New Zealand during the 196162 tour of the Republic, said Mr K. Viljoen, manager of the Springbok side which arrived at Whenuapa-i tonight and which will start its New Zealand tour at Hamilton. tomorrow morning. . The Springboks had done extremely well in Australia and were in strong positions when time ran out in both the drawn third and fifth tests.

“We could have won the fi*th test if we had got those last two men out at 3 p.m when they came in,” he said. “We tried everything but they stuck there, and they didn’t give a chance." As far as the New Zealand tour was concerned, Mr Viljoen said the Springboks would try to play as brightly as possible. They had no set plans for bowling so many overs an hour or scoring so many runs an hour. “However, we will try to play as entertainingly as possible,” he added. "Sometimes conditions are against enter-

taining cricket, but we will do our best” Mr Viljoen was doubtful whether, under the present tour schedule, New Zealand would have more frequent tours by South African teams. It is 11 years since the last Springbok team toured New Zealand. “We can only tour New Zealand after playing in Australia," he said. “We are next scheduled to tour Australia- in about seven years We have been told that it is not a reasonable proposition make a full-scale tour of New Zealand.”