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Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online.The 1981 South Africa rugby union tour of New Zealand was a controversial tour of New Zealand by the South Africa national rugby union team, known as "the Springboks". The South African government''s policy of racial segregation polarised opinions and sparked controversy throughout New Zealand. The decision to proceed with the tour inspired widespread protests across New Zealand. South Africa''s policy of racial apartheid had made the nation an international pariah, and other countries were strongly discouraged from having sporting contacts with it. However, rugby union was an extremely popular sport in New Zealand, and the Springboks were considered to be New Zealand''s most formidable opponents. Therefore, there was a major split in opinion in New Zealand as to whether politics should interfere with sport and whether the Springboks should be allowed to tour. Despite the controversy, the New Zealand Rugby Union decided to proceed with the tour. The government of Prime Minister Robert Muldoon was called on to ban the tour, in view of the commitments it had made under the Gleneagles Agreement, but decided not to interfere due to their public position of "no politics in sport".

1981 South Africa rugby union tour of New Zealand