Labour would not stop S.A. visits

Press, 25 June 1983, Page 1

Labour would not stop S.A. visits

PA Wellington A Labour Government would not stop New Zealand rugby players from going to South Africa, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Lange, said yesterday. Invitations for seven unidentified players were received by the Rugby Union on Thursday and passed on to provincial unions. The Prime Minister, Mr Muldoon, and the Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association both attacked the invitations last week, the latter saying that its right to compete in Games could be affected. Mr Muldoon wrote to the Rugby Union but said he would not be writing to the individual players. He said that reports of what he had said had appeared in newspapers and All Blacks could read. Mr Lange said yesterday that a Labour Government would make more effort to stop the players going, but would not direct them to stay at home. He said his message to, players would be to con-’ sider whether a couple of

games of rugby would be worth the harm done to New Zealand. The seven have been invited for games next month celebrating the centenary of the Western Province union. The chairman of the Rugby Union, Mr C. A. Blazey, said the South Africans named who they wanted but he said it was not up to him to make their names public. It is believed that the seven players include two Maoris and that most are present All Blacks. Only Steve Pokere of both tests against the Lions is a Maori, but there are three Maoris in the reserves. The All Black reserve hooker, Hika Reid, said yes-

terday he had not been invited, as did the wing, Bernie Fraser. The Wellington Rugby Union’s secretary, Mr Ray Rowsell, was quoted ’as saying that “ail” the invitations for Wellington players had been passed on, but he would not say how many were for Wellington players. In Auckland, Andy Haden said that he had not received an invitation and he added that he had had no contact with any South Africans about the tour. The Auckland union’s chairman, Mr Ron Don, said: “I will neither confirm nor deny that we have any invitations for Auckland players.”