Robert Muldoon’s National Government was in power in 1981 and, when the New Zealand Rugby Football Union did not respond to pleas to ‘uninvite’ the Springboks, he refused to cancel, reminding New Zealanders of historical links with South Africa, and repeating his mantra: that sport and politics should not mix.
Meanwhile, the country was divided over whether the tour should go ahead. Former Prime Minister Norman Kirk’s statement would be proved right when the country, and world, witnessed “the greatest eruption of violence [New Zealand] has ever seen.”
Maori Welcome For Springboks
The South African team arrived in New Zealand on July 19, 1981, and was given a traditional Maori welcome onto Poho-o-Rawiri marae, in Gisborne, as in 1965. Given that Maori were unable to be part of the All Blacks team because of South Africa’s apartheid policy, this was ironic.
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