SOUTH AFRICA GETS READY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18466, 18 May 1928, Page 4

SOUTH AFRICA GETS READY.

board discusses PLANS FOR TOUR OF ALL BLACKS. Further interesting details are to hand of the South African Rugby Football Board’s preparations for the visit of the New Zealand team. With regard to the itinerary, Mr A. J. Pienaar, stated at a recent meeting of the board that there had been little constructive criticism of the programme. The itinerary was considered fair to the South Africans and visitors alike. After the two matches at Cape town the All Blacks would have to play immediately at Kimberley. It had been found impossible to obviate this rush. The Durban July Handicap, one of the three big races of South Africa, interfered with the Tests, and the Rand people would be at Durban on that big race day an alteration in the proposals had forced the board to arrange for the tourists to arrive in Johannesburg on a Wednesday before a Test. This broke the agreement slightly, as the board had undertaken not to let the visitors travel or play for a week prior to any Test. Still, Mr Pienaar thought that this would not be exacting and would give the travellers a rest from spectators and relief from the strain. In these days of comfortable travelling he thought the New Zealanders would not object.

Rests for Touring Team. Mr W . Millar, for Natal, expressed his union's complete agreement with the draft and notified his union’s appreciation of the board’s efforts to meet Durban’s requirements. J. D. de Villiers said that they need have no fear about too much train travelling on the trip. ITe explained that the tourists were given an opportunity to rest. Mr Packer, of the last English team in South Africa, had said that he was, at the outset, afraid of the long distances to be covered, but towards the end of the tour they hadlooked forward to the train as providing days of rest. Travelling was a vod-send to a touring team. A cable was read at the board meetmg from New Zealand asking for permission to bring an assistant manager with the team. It was pointed out that this would entail an expenditure of another £4OO or £SOO, and the matter was left to the New Zealand Rugby Union. (The New Zealand Rugby Union’s Management Committee decided not to send an assistant manager). The president (Mr Pienaar) mentioned that it had come to his knowledge that the number of visitors certain of making a retinue for the All Blacks ran into a considerable figure, and it was likely that as soon as the travel agencies announced the fare, details and travel arrangements, the number would be materially increased. The feeling of the board was that it would be unfortunate if, after enthusiasts voyaged all these miles, they finally found all seating accommodation previously booked up. The unions will have their hands full in treating hospitably the Rugby tourists and their host of supporters.

Suitable Hospitality. In the matter of hospitality for the New Zealanders and their following, Mr W. Millar was very anxious at the meeting of the board that South Africa should not fall behind the previous examples of New Zealand and England in the quality of entertafhment extended to the New Zealanders. He alleged that when the English team was in South Africa in 1924, after the Test matches at Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, both sides had been neglected. They had to be dependent on private entertainment, and he asserted that after any international the players should be entertained to a banquet where visitors and homsters could chat over the incidents of the day’s match. The hospitality shown by these two towns had been criticised, alleged Mr Millar. Mr Frank Hellish, who was with the Springboks in New Zealand in 1921, however, said that dinners, banquets, and the usual course of “entertainment, began to pall very soon and eventually became a nuisance. In the end they preferred going to private houses to attending official functions. Mr Millar’s recommendation was recorded in the minutes, and it can be taken for granted that the centres will not fail to provide the All Blacks with suitable hospitality. The Grounds. The grounds question has been thoroughly threshed out. and great changes are being made. The Newlands and Johannesburg grounds have been completely overhauled and remodelled for the .express purpose of accommodating larger crowds. Writing to a friend in New Zealand, a prominent follower of the game, who resides in Johannesburg states that “it is quite a mistake to say that all our grounds are terribly hard. That is not so. There are turf grounds in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth. East London, Durban, Bloemfontein. Johannesburg, and Pretoria—in fact, the ground of the Wanderers is probably as fine as you wilt find anywhere in the world. The German East Kikuya grass was planted there with very great success It is like a big green cushion.” New Zealand's Chances. The writer of the foregoing note regarding South African grounds is far from optimistic regarding the prospects of the South African teams. He says, “I predict that we are going to be beaten through the centre by the opportunism of your fast forwards. Please note this, and see whether my words do not come true. Of the 1921 team two members, Mostert and Kruger, still remain our two best forwards. Then we have Dr Van Druten, of the Harlequins, and Pretorius, of the Diggers. After that there is a big drop. I cannot see any of the provinces, outside the Western Province and the Transvaal, providing a single Test player. Our halves (principally the fly-halves) will be mainly kicking, with poor defence. Our centres ape weak and our wings fair. Our forwards, except those I have mentioned, are on the slow side.”