DR CRAVEN ATTACKS S.A. NEWSPAPERS

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32381, 21 August 1970, Page 1

DR CRAVEN ATTACKS S.A. NEWSPAPERS

(From EARLE READ, N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent) EAST LONDON, August 20. Dr. Danie Craven, president of the South African Rugby Board has fired yet another salvo at the press. He accused newspapers yesterday of sensationalising the “so-called incident” between the Springboks and the AU Blacks.

He waa speaking at a cocktail party after the match here against South African Country Districts and his re-, marks referred to the continuing publicity given the second test at Newlands.

Dr Craven singled out W. F. McCormick, the All Black full-back, for special mention.

“Lay off this man,” Dr Craven pleaded. “He is a great footballer, doing a great job and does not deserve the treatment meted out to him by some of our newspapers,” he said Dr Craven said he had seen the test and was subsequently staggered by what he read in the newspapers here. “Half the things described never occurred. The press de voted columns on half a minute of the game, particularly the Syd Nomis incident. A Rugby match takes 80 minutes. What about the other

79 and a half minutes?” he asked.

“If the press continues to harp on this so-called incident, they will create two distinct camps—the All Black camp' and the Springboks camp. “They will create a division which does not exist at pre sent and ruin the friendly re lationship built up on this tour.

“In any case, it was an old lesson learnt from my mother —it takes two to make a quarrel,” he said. Dr Craven ended by saying: “Talking of the power of the press, it can do a lot of harm —but it can also do a beautiful tiling.” Dr Craven was warmly applauded. B. J. Lochore, the All Black captain, replying, said: *T wish to endorse Dr Craven’s remarks. I would be proud to welcome and entertain any Springbok in New Zealand.” The All Black manager, Mr R. L. Burk, said this-morn-ing that he also supported Dr Craven.