Craig Green cleared

Press, 31 May 1986, Page 80

Craig Green cleared

From

Don Cameron

With two injury scares fading away, the battle lines have been cleared for the climactic fourth rugby match between the Springboks and the touring Cavaliers at Ellis Park tomorrow morning. The Springboks lead 21 in the series and victory tomorrow will probably establish them as self-proclaimed world champions.

The New Zealanders need a win to equal the record of the 1928 All Blacks, who shared the series 2-2.

There was a scare in the Cavaliers’ side yesterday when Craig Green, the left wing, pulled up short at training, obviously suffering from a thigh injury.

This has been diagnosed as a bruise rather than a strain and Green will be fit to play. There was greater alarm when three South African backs, including the captain and goalkicker, Naas Botha, were hit by mild influenza. However, 30 hours before the match only one of them, Michael Du Plessis, was in any doubt for the match. Ellis Park officials are expecting a crowd of 70,000 plus for the match. The ground has taken 90,000 for a soccer match and 100,000 for a pop concert since it was rebuilt in 1982.

The rugby record for the ground is the 95,000 who watched the British Lions play the Springboks in 1955.