All Blacks for Wales

Press, 7 August 1976, Page 4

All Blacks for Wales

From T. P. McLEAN Three members of the touring All Black team in South Africa, Bryan Williams, B. N. Osborne and Bill Bush, will represent New Zealand in a festival match at Cardiff Arms Park on September 25 which will be to celebrate the centenary of the world famous Cardiff Rugby Club. The match, which is to be played one week after the All Blacks’ final test with the Springboks at Ellis Park in Johannesburg, will include a number of outstanding players from other parts of the world than the British Isles. The Cardiff club issued a blanket invitation for various

All Blacks, and was especially desirous of having Grant Batty in the game. But such players as Batty, Kerry Tanner, Bruce Robertson and Sid Going all preferred to return to New Zealand with the All Blacks as soon as possible after the last match. Williams’ wife is to join him in South Africa prior to the last test and they will proceed together to the United Kingdom for the celebrations. It is good news on the All Blacks’ front that various players who have been suffering from injuries appear to be making good recoveries. As an example, Batty,

whose right knee was bound up with 10 yards of sticking plaster when he played against Universities last Wednesday, claims to be feeling remarkably strong in that leg. Going nicked another part of a hamstring muscle with his fine goal-kicking in the same match but will not be troubled. As for Peter Whiting, he trained solidly on his own for an hour on Thursday, and according to the experts might even be ready for the match next Saturday. “It’s a crazy world,” said Whiting. "Now I’m fitter than I’ve been on the entire tour — but because of my ribs I can’t play.”