The causes and consequences of the 1981 Springbok tour

1. Level 2 History

2. Contents
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Sport & Politics
SA and Apartheid
The Place of Rugby in NZ
Rugby Rivalry Runs Deep
1921 : 1949 Humiliation
1956 Revenge
The Greatest Rivalry – 2
1960: No Maori, No Tour
1965 Repeat
1970 Honorary Whites
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1981
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3. Sport Vs. Politics
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Politics and Sport is a
controversial issue.
Many people feel that the two
should never mix.
Somehow sports is considered
‘pure’ in its pursuit of personal
excellence.
Politics is somehow ‘grubby’
often attracting baser instincts
of greed and manipulation.
Many people and organisations
would argue that they should
never combine.
In New Zealand, Rugby is where
the two have regularly collided.
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4. South Africa
1900
2000

5. South Africa and Apartheid
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By the 1940’s South Africa was a country where the
majority were Black (Zulu, Xhosa etc) or Coloured
(Mixed Race) with a significant White minority.
Most Whites were Afrikaans (Dutch) with some
English.
The Boers War 1899-1902 meant that many Dutch
Afrikaaners hated the “English”
Many Afrikaans were extremely Nationalist and had
objected to supporting GB in both World Wars.
After WWII they began to support the National Party
which wanted to further separate the Races, physically
and economically.
This became a policy of “Grand” Apartheid which
would place Blacks and White into totally separate
areas.
However they later allowed for “Petty” Apartheid,
with some mixing for work. (Rubbish Cleaning Cooks
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6. Apartheid
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Apartheid was a policy of separating the
Black and White populations of South
Africa.
Begun in 1948 it forced Blacks to live in
Homelands.
Apartheid stopped different races from
marrying.
It dictated where they could live.
It restricted Black ability to vote.
It restricted Black access to
transportation and education.
Any Resistance was met with violence.
Nelson Mandela was imprisoned.
Steve Biko was murdered.
Apartheid Laws
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7. BBC Apartheid Video
Original Video Location
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9. The Place of Rugby in New Zealand
• First played in Nelson in 1870
• Quickly spread through towns
and rural areas.
• Rugby Clubs became social
centres in many small towns and
urban areas.
• It provided a strong sense of
identity for schools, club,
provincial and national identities.
• The All Blacks became important
to many peoples idea of national
success.
Rod Derret: Rugby, Racing
and Beer
Howard Morrison: My Old
Mans an All Black
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10. • By 1900 Rugby was
beginning to dominate
almost every other
topic, including the
Boer War and Chinese
Immigration.
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11. 1905 : The ALL BLACKS
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12. Nice Game... Using Rugby
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8.
Read the article by David Kirk.
What is NZ well known for?
What makes us unique?
How and why might Clinton ‘bond’
with NZ?
How does Sandra Coney view
rugby?
Why is rugby bad for other sports?
What burden do rugby players
carry?
How does the 1 legged stool fit our
self esteem?
What does he think we should do?
• Read the article about the
Exhibition.
9. Describe how Murray Ball viewed
rugby and the All Blacks? Use
examples.
10.How have Cartoonists viewed
rugby?
11.How have they depicted the All
Blacks?
12.What themes did the exhibition
divided into?
13.How did South Africa change the
focus of rugby cartoons?
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13. Rugby Rivalry runs deep.
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In South Africa the game of the White minority
was Rugby. Blacks preferred football.
Their greatest foe were the All Blacks.
For many years both sides were acclaimed World
Champions.
Series have been filled with controversy, penalties
or tries awarded or not, thuggery and referees
who made questionable decisions.
In 1949 New Zealand lost 4-nil in South Africa.
For many New Zealanders defeating the
Springboks at home & in Africa became an
obsession.
The 1956 series became war. Kevin Skinner, Peter
Jones and Don Clarke became household names as
we strove for revenge.
Defeat was unacceptable.
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZTR19210917.2.32&srpos=4&e=-------10--1----0springboks+natives--
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14. Springbok V All Blacks
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1919 NZ defeat SA
1921 SA draw series 1-1 in NZ
1928 NZ draw series 2-2 in SA
1937 SA win series 2-1 in NZ
1949 NZ lose series 4-0 in SA
1956 SA lose series 3-1 in NZ
1960 NZ lose series 3-1 in SA
1965 SA lose series 3-1 in NZ
1967 Tour cancelled by Union
1970 NZ lose series 3-1 in SA
1973 Tour cancelled by NZ Govt.
1976 NZ lose series 3-1 in SA
1981 SA lose series 2-1 in NZ
1983 Tour cancelled by NZ High Court
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15. A 1921 Report for a SA paper
• “Bad enough having play
team officially designated
New Zealand natives, but
spectacle thousands
Europeans frantically cheering
on band of coloured men to
defeat members of own race
was too much for Springboks,
who frankly disgusted.”
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16. 1949 Touring Team
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Based around the
successful 1946 ‘Kiwis’
army team which had
defeated the best of
Europe this team was
expected to do well
against the Boks.
Losing the series 4 nil
was viewed as a
catastrophe.
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17. 1949
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18. 1956
• “...we’ll have
some of the
Springboks here
tomorrow to
help out”
• Even as early as
1956, security
was becoming
an issue.
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The Greatest Rivalry
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19. 1956 Universities Win
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20. Taranaki celebrated a 3-3
draw with the tourists.
Waikato and Canterbury
had already defeated
them.
Defeating the Springboks
was a huge honour for
any provincial team.
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21. 1956
• Several Provinces found
the Boks could not cope
with the “Up’n’Under” or
‘bomb’ which they used
to terrorise the tourists.
• Inflicting as much injury
on the tourists was
considered a part of the
campaign to ‘soften’
them up for the Test
matches.
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22. 1956 – Maori Lose
• Maori affairs minister Ernest Corbett told the
1956 Maori All Blacks they must not beat the
Springboks.
• Maori All Black fullback Muru Walters, now an
Anglican bishop in Otaki, said Mr Corbett
visited the team in their Eden Park dressingroom and told them if they won the All Blacks
would never be invited back to South Africa.
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23. Greatest Rugby Rivalry pt. 2
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24. 1956 Series Won
• It was with a real sense
of relief that the Nation
celebrated the defeat of
the Springboks as
revenge for 1949.
• For the moment we
could call ourselves
World Champions.
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25. 1960: No Maoris, No Tour
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In 1928,1949 the 1960 Maori
players were excluded from
these touring SA, which finally
raised protest in 1960.
New Zealanders began to
realize the implications of this
over-riding desire to play South
Africa at any cost:
– It discriminated against Maori
– It meant we sent a weaker
team.
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International pressure began to
build in the 1970’s and several
Springbok tours to Australia
and the UK were blighted by
protests, violence and
cancellation.
What was the issue being protested about?
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26. 1960: NZRFU attitude
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27. 1960: The Sydney Herald
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28. NZ lost the 1960 Series
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29. 1960
• As often happens
with an All Black
loss, children
began to drift to
other sports.
The Ballad of Peter
Snell
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30. Protest Movements in the 1960’s and 1970’s
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In the 1960s a new generation emerged that
were less conservative than their parents.
They were prepared to argue, complain and
protest on issues they saw as being important.
Increasingly they took their protests to the
streets. Some of the inspiration came from
overseas.
Black Civil Rights brought Racism to the fore.
The Vietnam War led to suspicion of the
Government.
Maori Land Issues raised awareness of
inequality.
Contraception Law reform highlighted
women’s health.
Petitions, Street Marches and campaigning
created a strong core leadership for the antiapartheid movement.
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31. 1965
• In 1964 South Africa was
banned from competing at
the Olympics until it chose its
teams on merit.
• Despite this am invitation
• The 1965 Springbok team was
unlucky to meet one of the
strongest All Black teams, just
starting a 4 year run of
success.
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32. 1965
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Despite being outplayed by several
provinces the 1965 Springbok team
was still able to approach the final
test with the chance of drawing the
series.
A draw meant they lost the series.
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33. 1967 Tour Cancelled.
• After the protests in 1960 the NZRFU
finally refused to bow to the SARFU’s
request not to include Maori in the
touring teams.
• When this could not be resolved the
tour was cancelled.
• The 1967 AB team was one of the
strongest and included a number of
Maori players. This should be
acknowledged as a victory for the
1960 campaign.
• Anti-apartheid now moved to a new
level as it focussed not on the Maori
issue to refusing to play against a
racist regime.
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34. 1970: Honorary White?
• Despite protests, the 1970 tour
to the Republic went ahead.
• Maori and Pasifika players finally
went on tour, but as ‘Honorary
Whites”.
• Several players were happy to
go, despite protests at the insult
this title conveyed.
• The touring party also included
Samoan Bryan Williams a
Samoan
• Lacking talent in some key
positions and a consistent kicker
the All Blacks lost the series.
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35. 1972 – Politics?
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37. 1973: Marshall enjoys Labours problems
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38. The Gleneagles Agreement
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New Zealand was a strong supporter of the
British Commonwealth of Nations.
Our most popular sports were played against
the Commonwealth.
Several agreements had been made
supporting campaigns against apartheid and
racism.
It agreed to discourage sporting contact with
South Africa, without stipulating what that
meant.
Some countries were prepared to deny visas,
refuse leave for players or to work with
organisations to stop further contact.
New Zealand signed the agreement.
...the urgent duty of each of their
Governments vigorously to combat the
evil of apartheid by withholding any
form of support for, and by taking
every practical step to discourage
contact or competition by their
nationals with sporting organisations,
teams or sportsmen from South Africa
...each Government to determine in
accordance with its law the methods
by which it might best discharge
these commitments. But they
recognised that the effective
fulfilment of their commitments was
essential to the harmonious
development of Commonwealth
sport.
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39. 1976: Rugby Vs Olympics
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In 1976 NZ was due to return to the Republic.
By now South Africa was subject to a number
of sporting bans including since 1964, from
the Olympics.
New Zealand had signed the Gleneagles
Agreement to ‘discourage’ sporting contact
with South Africa.
The Government decided it could not stop its
own citizens from travelling.
African nations threatened to boycott the
Olympics if New Zealand was allowed to
attend.
Rugby was no longer an Olympic sport so the
IOC had no control over the sport.
New Zealand attended, 28 African nations
boycotted.
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42. Soweto Riots
• To reinforce the issues in SA unrest
broke out in the ‘Townships’.
• An important issue amongst Blacks
was education. There was little
equality.
• The Government had made classes
in Afrikaans compulsory.
• In 1976 the children of Soweto
marched in opposition to this
policy.
• They were fired upon and rioting
broke out.
• The riots lasted only briefly, right in
the middle of the All Black tour.
• Several All Blacks even visited the
township during the riots.
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43. Hector Petersen
Several hundred children were killed by SA
police. Estimates range from 200 to 700.
Hector was one of the first to be killed
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44. All Blacks caught in the unrest.
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45. 1981: Individual Rights v Law & Order
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The 1981 tour by the Springboks is
considered a watershed in our national &
international politics.
It changed everything.
The previous year it had signed the
Gleneagles agreement to ‘discourage’
South African tours.
The Govt. claimed it had no right to stop
the tour from proceeding.
HART and CARE led the protests
Initially about apartheid, the Government
turned it into a “Law and Order” issue.
Games in Gisborne and Hamilton were
abandoned.
The final game in Auckland turned the
suburb of Mt Eden into a battlefield.
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46. 1981 –A banacing Act
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50. Groups who opposed the tour.
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In 1981 a wide range of people were
drawn to opposing the tour, including:
HART
CARE
Unions
Council of Churches
Maori Council
Womens Groups
University Students
Political Parties
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56. Protest and Violence: Hamilton
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58. 1981 Videos
1: Sport
2: Molesworth St
3: New Tactics
4: the Final Test
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59. Patu
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60. 1981 Aftermath
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New Zealand society was shocked at
the violence and divisions that
occurred during the 1981 tour.
Rioting protestors and over vigorous
police were both condemned.
Friendships, families and entire
communities were split over the tour.
Some took years to reconcile, some
never have.
Racism became a topical and hotly
debated issue.
Rob Muldoon won the 1981 election
on the back of support for his “law and
order’ campaign.
In 1985 a return tour to SA was
cancelled after a High Court Challenge
by two rugby players.
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63. 1985 – Cez Blazey
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