Invitation to Maori team

Press, 12 March 1985, Page 38

Invitation to Maori team

PA Wellington The president of the South African Rugby Board, Dr Danie Craven, has issued an open invitation for a New Zealand Maori rugby team to tour South Africa.

Dr Craven, who was recently re-elected for his twenty-ninth term as president of the South African board, issued an invitation to be taken up at any time by a Maori team, according to a newspaper report. “I would like to see all those Maori players who were stopped from touring South Africa with the 1967 All Blacks when that tour was cancelled,” Dr Craven was quoted as saying.

“Those unfortunate ones who missed out could come as our guests. I would also like to see a boys or secondary schools team from New Zealand to tour our country to play our fully integrated

equivalent teams.” Maori players were prevented by South Africa’s apartheid laws from touring the republic as members of All Black teams as recently as 1960. In 1970, Maori members of the All Black team which toured South Africa were accorded the status of “honorary whites.”

Dr Craven is quoted as saying the All Black tour of South Africa this year was vital for the continued involvement in rugby of coloured players.

“A tour here will work wonders for what some of your people are striving for on our behalf. “We know what our troubles are and, we are doing very nicely in making major changes. In many ways rugby has led the way. A tour here by a Maori team would have an enormous following.”