N.Z. COMMENTS ON LAST YEAR’S TOUR

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 70, 17 July 1950, Page 4

N.Z. COMMENTS ON LAST YEAR’S TOUR

WERE TACTICS OF CRAVEN TYPICAL OF S.A. RUGBY?

Gradually, some behind the scenes news about the .1949 tour of South Anica is seeping out. Most remarkable disclosure made by the official broad aster, Mr Winston McCailhy, in his book, “All Blacks on Trek Again,” which has been received at Whakatane, concerns the activities of no less a person than the South African head selector and prominent . administrator, Dr Danie Craven.

“Dr Craven called the tune to which the All Blacks danced,” commented Mr McCarthy. He did indeed —in more ways than one. Dr Craven saw almost all of the twenty-four matches played by New Zealand in South Africa. If not exactly an official member of the party on tour, he travelled with it fairly continuously. Why? Simplest of Methods

At an early stage of the tour he lectured the All Blacks on the merits of the South African scrum; later on he simplest of methods to stop the New Zealand backs, and from the second game to the last had no reason to change the methods adopted. “The only thing Craven had to worry about was a change of tactics by New Zealand. But in game after game, he saw the All Blacks play the same type of football, getting the ball out to the backs at every opportunity. What could have been easier for Dr Craven and company?” Something unusual in that a selector watching match after match played by the opposition, so that he can Keep his own side’s tactics up-to-date. -Let that pass. Dr Danie Craven went a lot further.

In the last test, they lost it 11-15, the New Zealand pack outplayed their opponents. “The Springbok pack was gated right and left, but it was Catley, New Zealand hooker, who was held up as the bogey man by Dr Danie Craven and not entirely for his hooking ability,” comments Mr Winston McCarthy. From this statement given by a South African selector (Craven), it is natural that many people throughout South Africa gained the impression that Catley’s hooking methods, if not exactly illegal, were near enough to the border line to warrant close watching, particularly by the men Who were to control our later games. “To this statement of Dr Craven, and his later similar outburst, I attribute the majoritv of scrum penalties that were given against the All Blacks at critical stages of subsequent matches

“If a foot struck the ball before it was legitimately in the scrum, it followed, naturally, that Catley must have been the culprit ... He was a marked man.”

To appreciate to the full this rank piece of bad taste and breach of etiquette on the part of Dr Craven, just imagine for a moment the outcry that would arise if a similar unpardonable offence were committed in New Zealand at the present moment.

But could anyone imagine a member of the New Zealand Rugby selection committee—selected for impartiality and fairness if for nothing else —attaching himself to the British Rugby team of 1950, and at different stages of the tour going out of his way to impute illegal actions to the British team’s hooker.

Apology Overdue

Many will contend that the action of Dr Craven should not have been passed over by the New Zealand team manager, as it apparently was; that the tour should have been broken off there and then until an apology or retraction was handed in by the offender against the canons of good sportsmanship. An apology is still due. Questionable decisions by referees followed Dr Craven’s outburst. There is no need to go to the New Zealand official broadcaster for confirmation.

Taking a paragraph or two from the comment by Mr H. B. Heartland, South African journalist, on the third test, won by South Africa by 9 points (three penalties) to 3 (a try). “The ball was seen to fly through the New Zealand scrum : . . It seems that A. Geffin had kicked the ball, and none of the New Zealanders had touched it. ‘ Sorry boys,’ he called out when the penaity was given to the South Africans. ‘lt’s bad luck. Now I must kick a goal.’ He then kicked a grand goal from 45 yards out.” Another South African journalist, Mr R. K. Stent, of the Cape Times, is outspoken on the same point. He branded the third ,test a soul-less victory. “The All Blacks on Trek Again,” by Winston McCarthy, official broadcaster with the team (Sporting Publications, 80, Lambton Quay, Wellington).