New Zealand first played South Africa in a Test on 13 August 1921. Will Evans charts the controversy around the century-long rivalry .
100 Years of All Blacks v Springboks in Queensland will host Rugby Championship games in a series of double-headers with matches to be played in Brisbane, Townsville and on the Gold Coast.
“Loyalty begets loyalty. So they say. I wonder.” So mused George Nēpia, the nonpareil of All Black full-backs, in his 1963 autobiography I, George Nēpia.
Nēpia was lamenting the New Zealand Rugby Football Union cowing to the South Africa Rugby Board’s directive that no black players be chosen in the All Blacks squad to tour the racially-segregated nation – the third time the NZRFU had ceded to its hosts’ demand. Nēpia was among the first group of Māori rugby stars prohibited from touring South Africa in 1928.
💯 A rivalry 100 years in the making. Today we mark the 100-year anniversary of our first Test against @Springboks played in Dunedin on August 13, 1921. We look forward to seeing our old friend for the 100th Test later this year. #NZLvRSA100 pic.twitter.com/s4TsIdM07Y
Read More:— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) August 12, 2021
This year marks a century since the Springboks’ maiden tour of New Zealand, launching one of the most revered, dramatic and problematic international rivalries in the sport. It’s also the 40th anniversary of another visit by the South Africans, which was marred by civil unrest and violent clashes.
The centenary test between the All Blacks and Springboks will be played at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville on September 25.
With South Africa and Europe considered as possible hosts for the remainder of the four-nation competition, the new schedule sees games played in Queensland over four weekends from September 12 to October 2.
Rugby Australia hopes to confirm this week that the Wallabies’ postponed Bledisloe Cup/Rugby Championship test against New Zealand in Perth will be played in the WA capital on September 4.
