Maoris Invited To S. Africa

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30405, 2 April 1964, Page 1

Maoris Invited To S. Africa

(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, April 1. The first step towards having Maori players in future AU Black teams that tour South Africa has been made.

Today a meeting of the council of the New Zealand Rugby Union accepted an invitation by the South African Rugby Union that two Maoris, Mr M. R. Love and P. T. Walsh, be their guests for the South African union's jubilee celebrations in May. Mr Love has been the Maori member of the council for some years and Walsh, who recently toured the British Isles with the All Blacks, has captained the New Zealand Maoris and also been an All Black since 1955 The discussion on the invitation was taken in com-

mittee but afterwards the chairman of the council (Mr T. C. Morrison) made a brief statement. He said that the invitation had been instigated by the South African union—no pressure or overtures had come from New Zealand. It was purely a Rugby matter. The decision to invite Maoris had not come from Government level. Mr Morrison said that the invitations had asked for Mr Love to be one of the guests and the other was to be the choice of the council. "The council had no hesitation in recommending Pat Walsh. We could think of no better Rugby representatives of the Maori race than these two.” Although only the bald statement that Mr Love and Walsh were to go to South Africa as guests of the South African union was made after the meeting came out of committee, it was obvious that council members regarded

the move as something more than an invitation for two Maoris to go to South Africa. It is a foundation for Maoris to be included in future tours of South Africa. Mr Morrison clearly was elated by the invitation. Other members, remember-

ing the furore created in 1960 when Maoris were excluded from the All Black team chosen to go to South Africa, were just as happy that, for the first time, Maoris would officially represent Rugby in South Africa.

It is understood that the matter of Mr Love and Walsh being invited has been before the New Zealand Rugby authorities for some time, but it could not be decided until visas had been approved by the South African Government

I Visas have been granted. (This is regarded as a tacit acceptance by the South African Government that Maori players may also be invited to South Africa as well as non-players, for although Walsh is still available for Rugby this season, the injury he suffered on the tour of Britain is expected to finish his career this year and there iwas no likelihood of him playing South Africa.