Waikato trip called off — Dr Craven

Press, 23 September 1981, Page 1

Waikato trip called off — Dr Craven

PA Wellington The South African Rugby Board decided about three weeks ago not to invite the Waikato rugby side to tour, said the board’s president, Dr Danie Craven, last evening from his home in Stellenbosch.

Dr Craven said he had told the chairman of the Waikato union. Mr Frank O’Connor, of the decision by telephone on Monday. The invitation was issued by Professor Fritz Eloff. president of the Northern Transvaal Union, to make up for the Waikato-Springboks match at Hamilton on July 25 which was abandoned without play after protesters invaded the pitch and the police feared that the pilot of a stolen plane might crash it into a grandstand. The invitation depended on the approval of the South African board and the New Zealand Rugby Union. Dr Craven said the Waikato players would be “welcome any day.”

"We would love to have them, but we want the dust to settle after the Springbok tour of New Zealand." Dr Craven said his board had not informed the Waikato union of the decision

earlier because there was no need; no official invitation had gone out. That was up to Northern Transvaal, he said. It was a “probability” that the South African board would reconsider an invitation next year. The secretary of the New Zealand union. Mr Barry Usmar. said: "We have not heard anything officially from the South African Rugby Board."

He did not know if Dr Craven had told the union’s chairman, Mr C. A. Blazey. of the decision, but he had spoken to Mr Blazey earlier yesterday and Mr Blazey was not aware of it then. Top-level discussions between South African and New Zealand rugby officials apparently led to the cancellation, according to the "New Zealand Herald." “We are bitterly disappointed that the tour is off," said Mr Robert Denton, manager of the Northern Transvaal union, from Pre-

toria last evening. “We were negotiating with Waikato, but then we were told the tour would be discussed at a higher level between Dr Danie Craven and Mr Ces Blazey. “The aim was to match Waikato against the Springbok team which was to have played in the match at Hamilton. We would have had a full house of 66,000 at Loftus Versfeld (Stadium) for the match, which we planned for October 1. “Bringing Waikato across for only one match would have been very expensive, and so we would have arranged a few extra matches, perhaps two. to make the tour worth while. "We are very disappointed but the decision was taken at a higher level." Mr Denton said.

The invitation had not been turned down altogether. “We could have later, discussions with the New Zealand Rugby Union,” Dr Craven told the “Herald.” “However, it would not be possible this season, which has almost finished here. We are coming up to our Currie Cup finals, and the Springboks, will be home on Monday. “But it might be possible to extend the invitation to Waikato next year, perhaps early in the season. We will have to wait and see, but a visit from Waikato is not the right thing, at this point.” Mr O’Connor told the “Herald" last evening that he was interested in Mr Denton’s comment that the decision had been made “at higher level." “However. I have not been told officially that the tour is off; and until that time I

would prefer not to say anything," he said. Mr O'Connor felt that official notification of the tour cancellation could come from Northern Transvaal or the New Zealand union.