Articles
1981 Springbok tour
For 56 days in July, August and September 1981, New Zealanders were divided against each other in the largest civil disturbance seen since the 1951 waterfront dispute. The cause of this was the visit of the South African rugby team – the Springboks.
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Page 5 – Gleneagles Agreement
The All Blacks accepted an invitation to tour South Africa in 1976, when world attention was firmly fixed on the republic because of the Soweto riots.
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Page 6 – Battle lines are drawn
The tour supporters were determined that the first Springbok visit to New Zealand since 1965 would not be spoiled. The anti-tour movement was equally determined to show its
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Page 7 – Tour diary
Select itinerary of the 1981 tour by the Springbok rugby team.
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Page 8 – Impact
In Hamilton the protestors occupying the pitch had chanted 'The whole world is watching'. The same applied to New Zealand as a nation. Some believed the tour was an opportunity
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Main image: Protest outside South African consulate
Demonstrators campaigning to end diplomatic and consular ties with South Africa protesting outside the South African Consulate, 1977
