Doc's Craven Week message
The first Craven Week was held in East London in 1964, part of the old South African Rugby Board’s 75th jubilee celebrations. Danie Craven, then the president of the Board, had a message for the week. Has anybody taken any notice of any of it?
Craven’s message:
Although each team will play a few matches, the South African Rugby Board has decided to allow no competition or distinction amongst players. In other words no national team will be chosen and as a result the only distinction which will exist will depend on whether a team wins of loses. Some people are opposed to this decision. Because it is the first occasion that such a gathering takes place, there are more important things than championship at stake. For example the boys must ‘find’ each other, develop equally, make friends, get away from provincialism, learn from others, enter a wider world, get rid of tension which at times runs too high, and enjoy the game without regard to the result or position in a championship. In other words the Board wants the game played in the right spirit. That includes: attacking, adventurous, open, constructive rugby, without regard to the result, and without deviating from the game. If our schoolboys can be imbued with such a spirit, it will seep through to our national approach, to the advantage of all.
My message to all players is: run with the ball, choose attack before defence, throw the ball around when it should be thrown around and play correct rather than winning rugby, because correct rugby will promote the game and the players who play it. And remember that good behaviour is the mark of a good and honest sportsman.
