Dr Craven’s ‘threat’ to journalists

Press, 26 July 1976, Page 4

Dr Craven’s ‘threat’ to journalists

From T. I’. McLEAN

Durban

A “threatening appeal" to reporters who would pollute the good relations between South Africa and i\ew Zealand in rugby was delivered bv the president of the South African Rugby Board (Dr Danie Craven) after the test match on Saturday.

“We would like you to be on our side,” Dr Craven t.old a large gathering, speaking directly about the press. “But if you are not, God help you.’’ Dr Craven said that in both South Africa and New •Zealand there were writers about rugby and sport of high credentials. He was not making an appeal to such men. But in certain areas of the press any appeal t.o those elements who would pollute the good relations in rugby between South Africa and New Zealand. “Anyone who wants to disturb that friendship,” Dr Craven said, “should remember that we in South Africa have ways and means of asserting ourselves. “It is not necessary for us to do for the press what we are doing. We would like the press to be on our side but if they are not, God help them. i “Irrespective of whether we are right or wrong, the one thing that can never be I taken away from us, is our self-respect. “We will play this game of rugby irrespective of what is written or done. The game is bigger than anything anyone anywhere in the world can produce against us.” In greeting the All Blacks at Cape Town early in their tour, Dr Craven appeared to some New Zealanders to make no better than jocular references to sacrifices they and New Zealand rugby had made in sending the team to South Africa. But in speaking to the test match audience. Dr Craven paid a most heartfelt tribute! and expressed the warmest j thanks of all Sou:h Africans !

| He spoke of the impeccable behaviour of the All (Blacks. "This," Dr Craven said, “is a delight to us but not to those who would write of women, nightclubs, breakages, and such things.’’ After the test the All Blacks were especially critical of a decision late in the game which probably robbed them of six points and a drawn match. As the All Black pack drove the Springboks forwards nearer and nearer their own goal, in a perfectly executed maul, Mr lan Gourlay, who was standing some yards away in the Springbok in-goal area, penalised the New Zealand captain, Andy Leslie who was enmeshed in the maul, for being offside. When the All Blacks protested, Mr Gourlay marched a further ten vards down the field. [ Approached after the [game, Mr Gourlay told a re- | porter: “I do not recall the [incident.” The coach of the All Blacks, Mr John Stewart, bluntly told Mr Gourlay: “There is no way in law that a player involved in a maul can b e ruled offside. “The only offensive at a maul concerns a man joining it on the wrong side or players moving in advance of the last line of feet.” Mr Gourlay replied: “I'll look it up.” Other decisions were not popular with New Zealanders. One which affected a [run by Sid Going, just before half-time, may have cost the [All Blacks a try. One of the touch judges, Mr P. Robbertse, who had been flown from Springs,' north of Johannesburg, by the ■

South African Rugby Board irritated the All Blacks when he ruled that Duncan Robertson had put his foot into touch before passing infield to Batty. Mr Robbertse is a member lof the test match panel of the referees. The match could have serious consequences for Batty. Late in the game he suffered a heavy blow on his injured, knee. He crashed his. fist on the ground in angei and despair. “It’s exactly the same knock as I got in March,’ he said later. That injury put Batty out of the game for more than two months. About 45,000 people packed the ground and the gate tak ings soared above 300,001 rands. The most expensive seats cost 10 rands each. An area of 750 seats was set aside for non-white spec tators. It was filled only at the last minute. As late a< 5 p.m. on Friday, there were plenty of seats available in it. Some 22.500 programmes were sold at 50c each. After being entertained at a cocktail party by the Mayor of Durban, the All Blacks, in their customary fashion, held their own gathering at their hotel. Though they invited the Springboks to join them, they were told by the South African teams manager this would not be convenient. However, the Sprinkboks captain. Mome du Plessis, and a flanker, Boland Coetzee, attended the gathering and spent about two hours with the New Zealanders, much of the time in conversation with Mr Stewart. Du Plessis was notably modest in responding to congratulations. There were, he I said, a lot of snags to be ironed out in his team.