Consequences of the 1981 Springbok Tour...
Violent Protests
Violent protests erupted around New Zealand with two sides creating a divide in the nation. The first game was held in Gisborne against Poverty Bay on the 22nd of July 1981 where the Springboks won 24-6. This would be the first time that protestors from opposing sides confront one another. The violent clashes that followed further divided the seen to be peaceful nation.
Just a few days later on the 25th of July the second game was held against Waikato in Hamilton. This match left a mark on South Africa as it was the first time a sporting game involving a South African team was televised back to their country and what they would have seen was complete chaos. The match was interrupted and cancelled due to security and safety reasons. A rumour had been spread of a plane that had been stolen from Taupo and was headed in the direction of the game. Hundreds of anti-tour protestors stormed the fields just prior to kick-off and it soon turned violent when pro-tour supporters learned that the match had been cancelled. They began throwing bottles and cans and attacking the protestors with wild punches and kicks. Despite this, the anti-tour protestors were fueled with a sense of determination as they believed that they had brought international light on the racial segregation that was taking place in South Africa.
The 29th of July protests outside of Parliament in Wellington soon became known as the ‘Battle of Molesworth Street’ due to the levels of violence that took place. This protest was a battle against the protestors and the Police who were at the northern end of Molesworth Street with long batons. The Police’s request of the protestors retreating was left unheard and the protestors moved ahead. The large, noisy crowd sent the Police in to panic mode and their batons were thrown at the protestors as they then began to attack them in response. This highlighted to the protestors the importance of what they were doing and to stand up for what they believed in they knew they had to overcome the violence.
Just a few days later on the 25th of July the second game was held against Waikato in Hamilton. This match left a mark on South Africa as it was the first time a sporting game involving a South African team was televised back to their country and what they would have seen was complete chaos. The match was interrupted and cancelled due to security and safety reasons. A rumour had been spread of a plane that had been stolen from Taupo and was headed in the direction of the game. Hundreds of anti-tour protestors stormed the fields just prior to kick-off and it soon turned violent when pro-tour supporters learned that the match had been cancelled. They began throwing bottles and cans and attacking the protestors with wild punches and kicks. Despite this, the anti-tour protestors were fueled with a sense of determination as they believed that they had brought international light on the racial segregation that was taking place in South Africa.
The 29th of July protests outside of Parliament in Wellington soon became known as the ‘Battle of Molesworth Street’ due to the levels of violence that took place. This protest was a battle against the protestors and the Police who were at the northern end of Molesworth Street with long batons. The Police’s request of the protestors retreating was left unheard and the protestors moved ahead. The large, noisy crowd sent the Police in to panic mode and their batons were thrown at the protestors as they then began to attack them in response. This highlighted to the protestors the importance of what they were doing and to stand up for what they believed in they knew they had to overcome the violence.
More matches followed on both August 1st (Springboks won against Manawatu in Palmerston North, 31-19) and the 11th of August (Springboks won again against Otago, 17-13). Then, on the 13th of August, protestors set fire to the Christchurch Rugby Park grandstand because of presumptions that the Springboks were training on those grounds. The consequence of doing this was that they had upset government officials who believed that the protestors had gone a step to far in their protests.
The 15th of August became the date of the first international test match against the All Blacks in which the All Blacks won 15-9. The exciting win didn’t stop the protestors from animatedly pushing forward and diverting past Police. This angered the rugby supporters and violent acts incurred with the throwing of objects at the protestors.
The second test match took place in Wellington on the 29th of August with a win by the Springboks of 24-12. Over 7000 protestors marched the streets of central Wellington and together they blocked the many roads, motorways and pedestrian access in to the stadium. Police retaliated through wedging themselves between the protestors to create safe entrances for spectators to enter the stadium. Further violence took place with pro-tour supporters lashing out at the protestors and the Police had to intervene with use of their batons.
The most violent match was yet to come on the 12th of September 1981 when the All Blacks would play their final match against the Springboks. A light aircraft flew overhead dropping flour and smoke bombs over the stadium to interrupt the game below and as well as this, protests were taking place outside. However, despite all of the protestor’s efforts the game proceeded with a win from the All Blacks, 25-22.
The Springboks left New Zealand from Auckland Airport on the 13th of September 1981 and for those who protested against the tour they were left disappointed that they hadn’t completely brought the tour to a stop but proud that they had brought international attention to their efforts of stopping apartheid in South Africa.
The 15th of August became the date of the first international test match against the All Blacks in which the All Blacks won 15-9. The exciting win didn’t stop the protestors from animatedly pushing forward and diverting past Police. This angered the rugby supporters and violent acts incurred with the throwing of objects at the protestors.
The second test match took place in Wellington on the 29th of August with a win by the Springboks of 24-12. Over 7000 protestors marched the streets of central Wellington and together they blocked the many roads, motorways and pedestrian access in to the stadium. Police retaliated through wedging themselves between the protestors to create safe entrances for spectators to enter the stadium. Further violence took place with pro-tour supporters lashing out at the protestors and the Police had to intervene with use of their batons.
The most violent match was yet to come on the 12th of September 1981 when the All Blacks would play their final match against the Springboks. A light aircraft flew overhead dropping flour and smoke bombs over the stadium to interrupt the game below and as well as this, protests were taking place outside. However, despite all of the protestor’s efforts the game proceeded with a win from the All Blacks, 25-22.
The Springboks left New Zealand from Auckland Airport on the 13th of September 1981 and for those who protested against the tour they were left disappointed that they hadn’t completely brought the tour to a stop but proud that they had brought international attention to their efforts of stopping apartheid in South Africa.
Video showing disruptions made by protestors at the All Blacks versus South Africa match on the 12th of September 1981
Cutting Sporting Ties With South Africa
After the tour ended, no official sporting contact took place between New Zealand and South Africa until the 1990’s when apartheid had ended. A planned tour in 1985 was cancelled and the following year a tour labelled the ‘rebel tour’ took place with an unofficial New Zealand rugby team who were also known as ‘The Cavaliers’ to travel through South Africa. The two teams met again in 1995 when the Springboks beat the All Blacks 15-12 at the Rugby World Cup held in South Africa.
Apologies
In 2010 both the New Zealand and South African rugby unions came out with official apologies for the Māori players who were excluded from the matches. However at first the NZRU believed that it wasn't the right time to apologize due to the upcoming New Zealand Māori centenary. They later changed their minds. Just a week prior to these apologies being made, the South African Sport and Recreation Minister, Reverend Makhenkesi Arnold Stofile, sent out apology letters to each of the individuals players and praised those who protested against the tour.
"Today, on behalf of the New Zealand Rugby Union, we wish to say sorry first and foremost to those Maori players who were not considered for selection for teams to tour South Africa or to play South Africa,
We apologise to the families of those players and to the wider Maori community who were affected directly or indirectly by the decisions taken to not include Maori players for those teams and tours.
"It was a period in which the respect of New Zealand Maori rugby was not upheld and that is deeply regretted."
-NZ Rugby Union
The apology was welcomed by many as it showed the beginning of a new era between the relationship of Māori and Pākehā's. However, there were some who didn't think the apology was sincere enough like former Māori All Blacks prop Billy Bush who said that it should have been said at the Parliamentary function held for the Maori Rugby Centennial Year. But overall, majority of those were affected by the racial rulings that took place were accepting of the apology.