All Blacks to play in S.A. invitation?

Press, 30 January 1986, Page 6

All Blacks to play in S.A. invitation?

NZPA staff corespondent Hong Kong

More than 10 All Blacks will take part in a “World” side which has been invited to play a full test series against the Springboks in April, said South African rugby officials, quoted in a report by a Hong Kong newspaper yesterday. The “South China Morning Post’s” rugby writer, Austin Daniel, quoted correspondence from the president of the South African Rugby Board, Dr Danie Craven, in reply to a questionnaire and an interview in Hong Kong with Robert Denton, former manager of the Northern Transvaal R.F.U., and manager of Johannesburg’s Ellis Park. The aborted British Lions tour, which was to have been scheduled for May, would be replaced by a full test series which could last four to six weeks with the invited world side, the officials said.

Mr Denton was quoted as saying: "The South African Airways flight from London to Johannesburg on Sunday, April 20, will carry a precious

cargo of the cream of rugby players — nine from the Grand Slam Wallaby side that toured the United Kingdom and over 10 All Blacks who couldn’t come to South Africa when the New Zealand tour was scuttled at the last minute.”

Dr Craven was quoted as saying some of the ; world’s leading players would be invited, the bulk: from New Zealand, Australia and France, soon after the two International Rugby Board Centenary Matches were over on, April 16 and 19. “Nobody has the power; to stop individuals com-' petlng where they want to, or against whom, so I don’t see any political problems this time,” Dr Craven said. Dr Craven said he had decided not to extend an invitation to the Lions to save them the embarrassment of having to turn down the offer, which he believes would have been inevitable.

“The political climate in my country — but mostly the distorted picture the world has of this place — counted heavily against us.