Rugby ties ‘stronger’

Press, 29 October 1981, Page 6

Rugby ties ‘stronger’

PA Wellington The president of the South African Rugby Board, Dr Danie Craven, believes his “mission” in New Zealand has been a great success and has found that rugby ties between the two countries are stronger than before. Dr Craven said he was pleased with the outcome of his trip and confident that links between the two countries would continue. He said the main reason for his visit was to find out how the controversy-ridden

Springbok tour had affected the links. “I came over to see if the tour had done any harm and whether it had endangered future contact between the two countries. In spite of the problems I see ties being stronger than ever before,” he said. First evidence of the continuing ties may be a new invitation for the Waikato rugby team to tour South Africa early next year. Dr

Craven apparently met Waikato union officials while in Rotorua last week-end and indicated that an invitation' to Waikato was likely. The intention is that Waikato would tour for several matches in March which would precede tours of South Africa by Wales and a South American team called the Jaguars. Dr Craven and his companions are exp’ected to ,fly home from Auckland today.