S.A. rugby tour unlikely — Oliver

Press, 19 April 1979, Page 20

S.A. rugby tour unlikely — Oliver

PA Dunedin The All Black, Frank Oliver, does not think that a Springboks rugby team will tour New Zealand in 1981 because of the force of world opinion.

Oliver has just returned from touring South Africa with the international fifteen.

“It would be unfortunate if they don't come,” said Oliver yesterday. “They have made great strides in promoting international rugby but the Coloured players are not quite good enough to make a Springbok team.

“The world would scream if it was an all-white team that toured. It would be just a matter of expediency if some Coloured players toured when the white players are better.

“The Coloured players would not be happy to tour under conditions like that and would probably pull out of the tour.”

He said that the president of the Coloured rugby federation was happy with the progress being made toward 'integration. “He spoke at a press conference and had the opportunity to criticise the South ■ African Rugby Board,” Oli|ver said. “But he said that ‘everyone is getting behind I the Coloured federation.” I Oliver believes that the ■general standard of Coloured i rugby in South Africa is not I yet good enough for players to expect to get into the Springbok team. “Soccer is their game and they are not yet experienced at rugby,” he said. “But they are eager to learn and have the best of South African coaches available to help them.

“While on tour, Tom Johnson and Ivan Vodanovich, of

the New Zealand Rugby Football Union, spent time coaching in the Transkei.”

Oliver believes that the best Coloured prospect to make a Springbok team is the fly-half, Errol Tobias. “He is a great punter of the ball and is very fast,” Oliver said. He and Hennie Shields were two of the Coloured players who played in the international fifteen and impressed Oliver.

“Shields is a solid midfield back and would make a good provincial player in New Zealand,” Oliver said. “But he would not make the All Black team.”

Oliver was impressed by the efforts that South Africa is making toward the integration of its rugby-.

“There were several Coloured players in our team and we all mixed well after a game,” Oliver said. “This was a breakthrough. It would not have happened in 1976.

“The Coloured guys can play for any club in South Africa. They are not doing this, because it would weaken the Coloured Clubs too much if the best players left.

“The Coloured players are allowed to attend Springbok trials. The South Africans are aware of world opinion and are keen to return to international rugby.

“The white crowds now applaud good play by the Coloured players. The rugby people are going to a lot of trouble to make the Coloured players feel that they are part of the new deal. “I didn’t go to South Africa to prove a political point. I went to play rugby. “I am sure that we helped the Coloured players by going. It gave them an opportunity they might not have got.”