Springboks may ‘push out’ Kiwis

Press, 18 December 1985, Page 72

Springboks may ‘push out’ Kiwis

NZPA staff correspondent London The Auckland rugby league wing, Gary HenleySmith, was surprised to learn he and a fellow New Zealander, Danny Campbell, might be “off-loaded” by their English club, Wigan, before the end of the season. Wigan won the “auction” for the Springboks, Rob Louw and Ray Mordt, after several clubs were reportedly chasing them with offers. The club hopes to have the pair available early in the New Year which will force it to ditch two of its contracted overseas players. The quota of six has been reduced to five for next year. ’

Henley-Smith said he had “seen the newspapers” and admitted it was disconcerting to suddenly find out his contract might be cut short. “I really don’t know what’s going on — no doubt we’ll find out this week,” he said. The Aucklander said things had been going “pretty well”. He had been hovering “somewhere between the first and second team” since joining the club in September. Speculation on whether several Springboks were considering a change to league mounted this month when the South African Rugby Board withheld its tour invitation to the British Lions.

The patience of the Springboks was said to be exhausted and they were looking past rugby union in considering their sporting futures. Since Mordt and Louw arrived in England a week ago they have travelled extensively in search of reportedly “very substantial” contracts. Initially Hull, the club which contracts four Kiwis, Fred Ah Kuoi, James Leuluai, Gary Kemble. and Dane O’Hara, was said to be pursuing the wing, Mordt, aged 28, with a three-year contract. The club’s management did not want Louw. The signing of Mordt may have forced the club to drop one of the New Zealanders whofe contracts all expire

at the end on the season. Bradford Northern, which wanted Louw, and St Helens both made strong bids before Wigan, the club which watched with only “mild interest,” won both players. The pair were reportedly looking to join the same club because, they admitted, they were “taking a plunge into the unknown.” But Louw, aged 31, was clearminded about his switch to league. He said in the “Guardian” that he and Mordt had “burnt their bridges” in coming to England. “But there was no longer any incentive to perform in South Africa — and sport is about incentives,” - Louw said. Y