No Confirmation Of Rugby Report

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31335, 4 April 1967, Page 19

No Confirmation Of Rugby Report

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON.

There has been no confirmation to Wellington of the report that the South African Government would raise no objection to Maoris being included in a New Zealand Rugby team to tour the Republic in 1970.

The South African Consul-General in New Zealand (Mr A. J. Oxley) said yesterday that he was totally unaware of such developments as reported by the Johannesburg “Sunday. Express.” The chairman of the Rugby Football Union (Mr T. C. Morrison) declined to comment on unofficial reports. He said that his union had received no communication whatever from the South African Rugby Board, and that any official communication regarding the issue would be conveyed by the board to the N.Z.R.F.U. The South African Minister of Sport (Mr Frank Waring) told “Die Transvaler” in an interview on Friday that the selection of sporting teams to

visit South Africa could safely be left in the hands of controlling bodies of the sporting organisations in both South Africa and the foreign countries concerned, says a Reuter’s message. “They will find a solution,” he said.

Mr Waring was commenting on a report which quoted the chairman of the South African Rugby Board, Dr. Danie Craven, on the question of the inclusion of Maoris in the proposed New Zealand tour of South Africa. Asked whether Dr. Craven’s statement meant that Maoris would be able to come to South Africa as part of New Zealand’s touring teams, and whether the coloured cricketer, B. D’Oliviera, would be allowed to tour South Africa with the M.C.C., Mr Waring said this was a hypothetical question. “Why must we try to cross bridges before we have come to them? The All Blacks touring team is only due in South Africa in 1970, and who knows now who will qualify for that team?” he said. The All Blacks had visited South Africa for many years and there had never been problems. Similarly, there were no problems when Springbok teams went to New Zealand. The customs of the country visited were always accepted, said Mr Waring.