the nuggety bevan was widely considered new zealand's best halfback of the immediate post-war period. he wasn't selected for the all blacks tour of south africa in 1949, however, as the māori advisory council had informed the new zealand rugby football union that he had māori ancestry. bevan's mother was quarter māori and once that became known new zealand's best halfback was ruled ineligible for the tour, where race rules in south africa at the time meant rugby was strictly for europeans. new zealand was beaten in all four tests for various reasons, not the least the lack of a top halfback.