SPORT IN BRIEF Rugby’s Reply To Soccer

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31383, 31 May 1967, Page 17

SPORT IN BRIEF Rugby’s Reply To Soccer

The running-game cult is spreading in South African Rugby, according to a New Zealand player who has lived in South Africa since 1947.

The former Wellington and All Black wing, Mr D. F. Mason, sees the new emphasis put on the game by the leading coach, Mr I. van Heerden, as the way back for Rugby in South Africa. Mr Mason said he was not surprised to hear that Dr. Danie Craven, on his last visit to New Zealand, had expressed deep concern about the future of Rugby in South Africa. Dr. Craven had pointed to the vast development of soccer in the country and its increasing popularity. An example of the hold soccer was getting in the country, said Mr Mason, was the 15.000 attendance at the Natal-Orange Free State Rugby game on Saturday in Durban. “The following day in the same city, two local professional soccer clubs drew 30,000,” he said.—P.A., Wellington.)

Cunis Confident

There seems every chance that R. S. Cunis, the New Zealand medium-fast bowler who recently had a knee operation, will be fit to join the New Zealand cricket side for the tour of Australia in November-December.

The specialist who performed the surgery said yesterday that the operation was “technically a success,” and he saw no reason why Cunis should not regain full health. At present, the knee is in plaster and it will remain so for another three weeks. Thereafter, said the specialist, Cunis will have kneebending and muscle-building exercises.—(P.A., Auckland.) Reception The Manchester United and New Zealand soccer teams were guests at a Mayoral reception yesterday. Mr J. Smith, president of the Canterbury • Football Association, and Mr A. Gibson, a director of the Manchester United club, replied to the welcome of the Mayor (Mr G. Manning). The Canterbury Soccer Supporters’ Club played host to both teams last evening in the Brevet Club. Coast v. Coast

It will almost be West Coast v. West Coast when the Canterbury Rugby League team begins its representative programme with a game against the Coast at the Show Grounds on Monday.

Seven members of the Canterbury squad were bom on the West Coast—R. Rochford, S. Dunn, A. McNaughton, B. Gillman, J. Fisher (Greymouth); J. Rosanowski (Reefton); and B. Langton (Westport). The Canterbury Rugby League’s publicity officer (Mr W. A. Whitehead), himself a “Coaster,” believes there are

sufficient players in the Christchurch senior competition of West Coast origin to make a Canterbury v. “Can-terbury-ex-Coast” match a worthwhile possibility. Should a coach be required for the latter team, he could easily be found in Mr W. F. McNaughtan, coach of unbeaten Addington, who comes from Blackball and captained West Coast in its defeat of Britain in 1946. French Lead

French cars showed the way at London’s Crystal Palace when the Belgian driver, J. Ickx, won the international Formula Two race in a Matra.

Second was the Frenchman, J. P. Beltoise, whose Matra ran out of petrol as it crossed the finishing line. A car’s length behind in third position was B. McLaren, of New Zealand, driving one of his own cars.—(P.A.-Reuter, London.)