The 1981 Springbok Tour was a significant event in New Zealand history as it caused a split in the population between supporters of the tour and people who were against it. Controversy surrounded the tour because in South Africa at the time was deep in apartheid. Apartheid was a policy or system of segregation on the grounds of race in South Africa.
The tour divided New Zealand for 56 days in July, August and September. It was the largest civil dispute in New Zealand since the 1951 Waterfront Strike. More then 150,000 people took part in over 200 demonstrations in 28 different locations around New Zealand.
To the ordinary person it would seem idiotic that people might gather to protest on such a large scale over a few games of rugby especially seen as most of the world does not even play the sport however the issue was not the game of rugby but the principal in which it was being played under.
Many New Zealand rugby supporters of the time decided to not support the game of rugby which was being played between two nations but instead support the cause of stopping the tour because of the events which were happening in South Africa at the time.
Commonwealth nations had signed an agreement that they would not have anything to do with South Africa until the system of apartheid was stopped this agreement was known as the Gleneagles Agreement. The Gleneagles Agreement discouraged any Commonwealth country from having contact or competition with any South African sportsperson or sports organisation.
The tour began 22 July 1981 in Gisbourne where the Springbok played Poverty Bay. The tour had two games called off and many disturbances by protesters throughout the rest of the tour. The last All Black test against the Springbok was 12 September 1981 at Eden Park, Auckland.
New Zealand had before the tour prided itself in having the finest race relations in the world but the events the took place during 1981 challenged this assertion.
The tour divided New Zealand for 56 days in July, August and September. It was the largest civil dispute in New Zealand since the 1951 Waterfront Strike. More then 150,000 people took part in over 200 demonstrations in 28 different locations around New Zealand.
To the ordinary person it would seem idiotic that people might gather to protest on such a large scale over a few games of rugby especially seen as most of the world does not even play the sport however the issue was not the game of rugby but the principal in which it was being played under.
Many New Zealand rugby supporters of the time decided to not support the game of rugby which was being played between two nations but instead support the cause of stopping the tour because of the events which were happening in South Africa at the time.
Commonwealth nations had signed an agreement that they would not have anything to do with South Africa until the system of apartheid was stopped this agreement was known as the Gleneagles Agreement. The Gleneagles Agreement discouraged any Commonwealth country from having contact or competition with any South African sportsperson or sports organisation.
The tour began 22 July 1981 in Gisbourne where the Springbok played Poverty Bay. The tour had two games called off and many disturbances by protesters throughout the rest of the tour. The last All Black test against the Springbok was 12 September 1981 at Eden Park, Auckland.
New Zealand had before the tour prided itself in having the finest race relations in the world but the events the took place during 1981 challenged this assertion.