Maori former All Blacks have welcomed NZRU's apology to Maori players excluded from All Blacks teams because of apartheid, saying "it had to come" and was the "right thing to do". The New Zealand Herald reports.
"Former All Black Waka Nathan, who was a young member of the Maori All Blacks when Maori were excluded from a South Africa tour in 1960, said an apology was the "right thing to do".
"I thought it was very good indeed, for New Zealand especially - we have always been against apartheid. It never even entered our minds," Nathan said.
"However, not all former Maori rugby players were so charitable about the NZRU's actions.
"The NZRU merely "towed along behind South Africa" to make a "token" apology to Maori this morning, says a player who missed out on his best chance to make the All Blacks due to racially-based selection policies."
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