What are your views on the 1981 S. Africa Springbok Rugby tour of New Zealand?

Question

I'm doing a history project and I want to collect different opinions over issues such as apartheid and violence associated with the event.

Answer 1

It was a great tour.  I was 12 at the time.  the rugby was great, but of course it was out shadowed by the mornas who thought it was theri right to destroy everything.  Most of these "protesters" just wanted to break something.

The 3rd test at eden Park wasa one of the great tests of all time.

Answer 2

The situation in '81 was not dissimilar to what they have now in SA. They have moved from no coloured or blacks, through a period of selection on merit, to a quota system based on race. In NZ people got upset over the racially selected side from SA visiting NZ and then select a maori side to oppose them. Hypocrisy at it's finest.

I went to the game at Eden Park, where to get to the ground we had to produce our ticket at three or four barriers made up of shipping containers. Down the side streets we could see mobs of protesters being held back by police squads. The mobs were made up of some legitimate protesters, but mostly yobs wanting to have a go at the police. During the game there were some incidents, notably the aerial flour bombing, but no-one at the ground was aware of what was going on outside.At the conclusion of the match (which NZ won) the streets surrounding Eden Park looked like a scene from Beirut. I take my hat off to the police for protecting my right to attend a football match in NZ.

Answer 3

was hectic hey, especially the flour bombs lol

i wasn't even born at the time but saw it on espn the other day, laughed a lot... the springboks owned simply because there was no politicas in choosing a rugby side back then, today there is, plus the coach.. the best man is not chosen for the job!