Tour will unite N.Z. -Dr Craven

Press, 12 July 1985, Page 26

Tour will unite N.Z. -Dr Craven

NZPA-AAP Stellenbosch The All Black rugby tour of South Africa will unite New Zealand and the threatened violent protest in South Africa against the tourists will not eventuate, says Dr Danie Craven, chairman of the South African Rugby Board. He told AAP in Stellenbosch all this would come to pass because of the love of rugby. “Take for example the U.D.F.’s (United Democratic Front) talk of protest. It won’t happen because their people ... they follow rugby,” he said. “New Zealand will be even more united than ever before and do you know why? Because they love the game.”

Dr Craven said the people who opposed the All Black tour in New Zealand did so because they were not aware of the changes that had taken place in South Africa.

He said the tour’s opponents in South Africa had kept the news from leaving the country.

“They keep the news from New Zealand or the newspapers in New Zealand stop the news from appearing,” said Dr Craven.

“If all those people who opposed us were sincere they would surely give us some acknowledgement for the changes. “But they won’t because they know we are winning and we are winning because we are on the side of right.”

Dr Craven said he was referring to winning the fight against segregated sport and apartheid. “Why is there this terrific onslaught going on against South Africa which is now as wide as it was before? We have done away with the Immorality Act and the Mixed Marriages Act — the two things they opposed the most. But the onslaught continues and I will tell you why it continues. “It’s because we are winning and the people in all the anti-apartheid movements and the United Nations committees all like the attention and publicity they are getting. “They like living in the

luxury that it gives them,” he said.

“They know if they acknowledge apartheid is ending, they will have no jobs. There will be thousands of people without jobs and the publicity they crave for. Miracles have happened here but (hey distort the truth.

“They even distort facts but the truth will overtake them. The wheels of God are grinding. They are grinding down their lies.” Dr Craven said there was no chance of the unrest which is sweeping South Africa spilling over into violent protest action against the All Blacks, as the unrest was between groups from the black population. “The unrest is between black and black. It’s like a husband and wife fighting. If you get in between to intervene they will both turn against you. That is what is happening to the police,” he said. “It’s not just a case of different races. It is different tribes which are different nations.

“It is inter-clans and that conflict is the worst. I have studied anthropology, so I know what I am talking about.

“It is the snake clan and the leopard clan. I tell you if it was not for the whites there would not be any blacks in this country. They would have exterminated one another.

“What do you think would be happening in Durban? It would be the Indians, Coloureds, and blacks at one another’s throats. God knows what would happen to this country if it wasn’t for the whites.” Dr Craven said he believed the All Black tour of South Africa would help break down barriers because the camaraderie and the love of rugby would spill “off the fields and carry over into our daily lives.”

He said nothing would be kept from the All Blacks or their supporters once they were in South Africa.

“They will see us as we are. We are not going to bluff them because bluff does not work. They will make up their own minds,” he said.