1981 Springbok Tour - Academic Kids

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The 1981 Springbok Tour

Background

In 1981, a rugby team from South Africa called the Springboks came to New Zealand to play. This made a lot of people upset.

South Africa and New Zealand both love rugby. Their teams often play against each other. But South Africa had unfair rules that treated people differently because of their skin colour. This was called apartheid.

In the past, New Zealand sometimes didn't let Maori players go to South Africa to play rugby. This was because of South Africa's unfair rules. Later, New Zealand said they would only send teams with players of all races. But South Africa still picked players based on their skin colour.

Some people in New Zealand didn't want the South African team to come. They thought it was wrong to play with a country that had unfair rules. But the Prime Minister, Robert Muldoon, said it was okay for the team to visit.

The Tour

When the South African team came to New Zealand in 1981, it caused big problems. Some people were happy to watch the rugby games. But many others were very angry.

There were lots of protests. People marched in the streets to show they didn't like the tour. The police had to make special teams to control the crowds.

At one game in Hamilton, people ran onto the field and stopped the match. In Wellington, there was a big fight between protesters and police. In Auckland, someone even flew a plane over the field and dropped flour bombs during a game!

It looked like the country was split in two. Some people really wanted to watch rugby, while others were very upset about the tour.

Aftermath

After the tour, many New Zealanders felt embarrassed about rugby for the first time ever. Not as many people wanted to play or watch rugby for a few years.

Some people were also upset with the police. They thought the police had been too rough with the protesters.

The tour showed that sports and politics can sometimes mix, even when people don't want them to. It was a hard time for New Zealand, but it helped people think about what was right and wrong.

The Springbok Tour and Protests: A Ripple Effect

Effect on New Zealand:

• Social Division: The tour deeply divided New Zealand society, with strong opinions on both sides of the issue.
• Political Change: The protests led to the formation of new political parties, such as the Alliance, and ultimately changed the political landscape.
• Economic Impact: The tour was canceled, leading to financial losses for some businesses and organizations.
• International Reputation: New Zealand's international image was affected, with some countries criticizing its stance on apartheid.

Effect on South Africa:

• Increased International Pressure: The protests and the cancellation of the tour increased international pressure on South Africa to end apartheid.
• Moral Support for Anti-Apartheid Movement: The protests provided moral support to the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.
• Symbolic Victory: The cancellation of the tour was seen as a symbolic victory for the anti-apartheid movement.