All Blacks went with P.M.’s blessing

Press, 19 July 1976, Page 2

All Blacks went with P.M.’s blessing

PA Wellington The All Blacks went to South Africa with his good will, the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) said during an interview with Dr Brian Edwards in the “Edwards on Saturday” programme on fVI. Pressed further to say whether the team had gene with his and the Government’s blessing, Mr Muldoon replied: “1 don’t think I can say otherwise.”

The Prime Minister said the All Blacks had represented New Zealand with honour for 70 years, and the present team was a marvellous bunch. He said while the New Zealand Government deplored the South African Government’s apartheid policy, he would no more “run away from my support of the All Blacks than I would the Olympic team.” There were countries competing at Montreal that had engaged in repres-

slve activities against their own people. “I think I can only reiterate the Government’s policy of no interference in sport," he said. Mr Muldoon said he took the view that international sport had n very important role to take in furthering international understanding, and he felt there was a considerable spin-off from the fact that South Africa had accepted a New Zealand team with several Maoris and one Samoan in it.