1971 Springbok tour

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The 1971 Springbok tour was a controversial six-week rugby union tour by the South African national team to Australia. Anti-apartheid protests came to being all around the country. The tour is perhaps most infamous for a state of emergency being declared in Queensland. In total, around 700 people were arrested whilst the Springboks were on tour.

1 Overview
2 Influence
3 Test results
4 See also
5 Sources
6 External links

[edit] Overview

The tour started with protesters waiting for the Spri on their arrival at the airport. The first games were then played in Adelaide and Perth, which were distrupted by mainly youth-led protesters. The third match was set to take place in Melbourne. A 5,000 strong crowd - made up mostly of university students gathered in the streets of Melbourne to march on Olympic Park in protest of the all-white Springbok side. Police had set up a wall of units around the stadium, around 650 policemen many armed with truncheons and some on horseback. The protests in Victoria were labelled "a rebellion against constituted authority" by the Victorian Premier. Around ten protesters made it onto the pitch, with an additional 140 arrested. In Sydney, several people attempted to saw down the goal posts at the Sydney Cricket Ground prior to the match. In addition, a gigantic anti-apartheid effigy was hung from the Sydney Harbour Bridge but subsequently cut down.

Companies had refused to fly the Springboks around the country, so six small planes had to do the job. Amid fears of violence, Queensland premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen declared a month-long state of emergency ahead of the Springboks coming. It was the first time a state of emergency had been issued over a football match in a western country. The game was instead played at the Exhibition Ground, being moved from its original venue at Ballymore Stadium, as it was deemed easier to erect barricades at the Exhibition Ground. A two-metre chain wire fence was erected to separate players and spectators. Protesters also attended public receptions and were present to see off the Springboks at the airport in a similar fashion as they had awaited their arrival.

[edit] Influence

Whilst protesters did not stop the Springbok tour, with all games going ahead, the protests have been viewed as highly successful. It is remembered as one of Australia's most significant examples of (mainly) non-violent action and ultimately helped to educate people more about the apartheid regime. The Springboks would not tour Australia for some 20 years, until the apartheid system was brought down.

Subsequently it is to some degree responsible for a proposed cricket tour of Australia by South Africa cancelled and Don Bradman saying that such tours would not happen until South Africa changed its apartheid policies. Prime Minister Gough Whitlam declared a sports boycott of South Africa making Australia one of the first Western nations to do so.

[edit] Test results

1971-07-17
	Australia	13–25	South Africa	Sydney Cricket Ground Attendance: Referee: Ferguson of Aus
	Tries: McLean Con: McGill Pen: McGill (2)		Tries: Ellis, Viljoen, Viljoen Con: McCallum (2) Pen: McCallum Drop goals: Visagie

1971-07-31
	Australia	7–20	South Africa	Brisbane Exhibition Ground Attendance: Referee: Ferguson of Aus
	Pen: McGill Drop goals: McGill		Tries: Visagie (2), Viljoen Con: McCallum Pen: McCallum

1971-08-07
	Australia	9–24	South Africa	Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier Attendance: Referee: Vanderfield of Aus
	Tries: Cole Pen: McLean (2)		Tries: Ellis, Cronje, Visagie Con: Visagie (3) Pen: Visagie