Ces Blazey was the NZRFU Chairman from 1977 to 1986, throughout the most turbulent period in its history. He gave the pro-tour movement a face by being a prominent spokesman at the time. He was obviously pro-tour, but always remained courteous and never stated his own personal views in interviews , instead saying only the union policy. Despite this, he held the firm belief that politics had no place in sport, and this resulted in a degree of naivety "The primary purpose of the tour was to play rugby football. This was achieved".
This quote displays Blazey's view, which was also shared with many pro-tour conservative New Zealanders at the time. Why should politics have any place in New Zealand Rugby? Many did not understand the importance of withstanding from sporting contact with South Africa and how this would isolate them from the world, nor did they understand that New Zealand was in a way, condoning Apartheid in the rest of the worlds eyes. The purpose of the tour was indeed to play Rugby, but the purpose of the protests was to stop racial discrimination.
Ron Don was the chairman of the Auckland Rugby Union in 1981. He, like Ces Blazey, was Pro-tour and gave the pro-tour movement publicity.
"I'm Ron Don, and in 1981 i was Chairman of the Auckland Rugby Union, and i was on the council of the New Zealand Rugby Union. Needless to say, i was very pro-tour. I don't regret anything that was said or done in 1981."
"After the tour, the anti tour protest groups were always referred to be the media as peaceful protesters. Now these same protesters did tremendous damage to Golf Clubs, Bowling clubs and even fired a shotgun into my home."
"But we won. We beat the protesters; we beat the media, and most important of all we beat the Springbok's."
From this Quote we can see Don's stern view that sport and politics should not mix, and that rugby should not be interrupted by international policies such as the Glen Eagles agreement. In this quote Don state's the the pro-tour side won, a point largely debated since 1981. In the short-term the pro-tour side did win, as It says in the quote they beat the protesters, the media and the Springbok's. However, in the long term, the protests raised much more awareness of racial equality, and how far New Zealand would go in order to play its part to put an end to racial segregation.
The view of Ron Don is interesting in terms of the battle between 'young and old New Zealand', even 30 years later, Don and others still believe the tour should have gone ahead, and continue to believe that rugby was more important that any politics going on at the time.
This quote displays Blazey's view, which was also shared with many pro-tour conservative New Zealanders at the time. Why should politics have any place in New Zealand Rugby? Many did not understand the importance of withstanding from sporting contact with South Africa and how this would isolate them from the world, nor did they understand that New Zealand was in a way, condoning Apartheid in the rest of the worlds eyes. The purpose of the tour was indeed to play Rugby, but the purpose of the protests was to stop racial discrimination.
Ron Don was the chairman of the Auckland Rugby Union in 1981. He, like Ces Blazey, was Pro-tour and gave the pro-tour movement publicity.
"I'm Ron Don, and in 1981 i was Chairman of the Auckland Rugby Union, and i was on the council of the New Zealand Rugby Union. Needless to say, i was very pro-tour. I don't regret anything that was said or done in 1981."
"After the tour, the anti tour protest groups were always referred to be the media as peaceful protesters. Now these same protesters did tremendous damage to Golf Clubs, Bowling clubs and even fired a shotgun into my home."
"But we won. We beat the protesters; we beat the media, and most important of all we beat the Springbok's."
From this Quote we can see Don's stern view that sport and politics should not mix, and that rugby should not be interrupted by international policies such as the Glen Eagles agreement. In this quote Don state's the the pro-tour side won, a point largely debated since 1981. In the short-term the pro-tour side did win, as It says in the quote they beat the protesters, the media and the Springbok's. However, in the long term, the protests raised much more awareness of racial equality, and how far New Zealand would go in order to play its part to put an end to racial segregation.
The view of Ron Don is interesting in terms of the battle between 'young and old New Zealand', even 30 years later, Don and others still believe the tour should have gone ahead, and continue to believe that rugby was more important that any politics going on at the time.