S.A. vetoes mixed side

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33565, 20 June 1974, Page 20

S.A. vetoes mixed side

(N.t. Press Assn— Copyright) JOHANNESBURG. The Quaggas, an invitation Rugby club, has been refused permission by the South African Government to include a Black wing in its white side to meet the touring British Lions on June 27. Under South Africa’s apartheid laws, it would be

Illegal for Blacks and whites to play together, in an invitation side. The possibility of the Quaggas’ including some Black players in its team was first raised last month, when the chib made informal approaches on the matter to the Sports Minister (Dr Piet Koomhof). Dr Koomhof rejected the idea, but on Tuesday the Quaggas chib made a final approach to him. The club chairman (Mr J. H. Henderson) said yesterday that the Quaggas were told the Minister had no option but to deny the request, because of the earlier pub-

llcity given to the likelihood of such a move. Mr Henderson said that in a hunt for Black talent, the club had taken the trouble to send a selector to watch the game between the Lions and the Coloured Proteas club in Cape Town this month. “After failing to get official approval, we picked our team last night in accordance with existing Government policy.” An all-white team was announced to play the Lions. Dr Koomhof said on Tuesday night that the federal council of the National

Party — the highest decision-making body in the country’s ruling party — had given the Government a mandate to allow Blacks to be included in an all-South African Rugby team, “if and when it is regarded as in the interest of South Africa.” The Minister revealed this at a political meeting when he was asked if Africans might be included in a South African Rugby

team in the near future. Dr Koomhof said that he did not want to stir up the issue and felt it should be dealt with very carefully so as not to damage the Republic.