A Country Divided...
The Springbok Tour that took place over 56 days in New Zealand during the year of 1981 divided the country in two. On one side was the supporters of the sport who believed that politics and sport should be kept separate and that rugby was a part of the countries identity and therefore should be allowed to be played. This opposed to the views of those whom thought the tour shouldn't be allowed to go ahead due to the racial apartheid that was taking place in South Africa at the time. The New Zealand Prime Minister, Robert Mundoon, said that he could only see "nothing but trouble come from this" and yet still allowed for the tour to go forward. The tour led to many violent strikes involving over 150,000 people in over 200 demonstrations and in a country with a population just over 3 million at the time it affected everyone and brought large divides on not only the country but communities and families also.