The
1981 Springbok tour of New Zealand marks a significant event in Zealand society.
The rivalry that existed between the nations of South Africa and Zealand is one
of the longest and most enduring. In the past, rugby players from both nations
regarded a win over each nation as a serious victory and was considered the
pinnacle of achievement in their rugby career. The tour was a widely contested issue
among new Zealanders that ultimately divided the nation. Families were torn
apart, friendships broken and many protests resulted from the South Africa rugby
tour of New Zealand. The opposition to the Rugby tour resulted from the South
African system of ‘Apartheid’. Apartheid had made south Africa an international
Pariah, and other countries were encouraged strongly to not make sporting
contact with the country as a resulted of their racist government. However,
Rugby union was and still is an extremely popular sport in New Zealand, and the
Springbok’s were considered to be NZ’s most formidable opponent. Ultimately this
resulted in a rift among New Zealanders whether politics should be involved in
sport. Many New Zealanders took it upon themselves to make an effort to stop the
tour which they believed encouraged South Africa’s racist system of Apartheid.