A majority Māori and Pacific All Blacks squad shows how far rugby’s ‘greatest rivalry’ has come
It’s 30 years since the All Blacks last played a test in South Africa – and only 56 years since Māori and Pacific players were first allowed to tour there.
The first test between New Zealand's All Blacks and South Africa's Springboks will take place this weekend, marking 105 years since the countries first faced each other in rugby. Over the years, the "greatest rivalry" has evolved significantly, particularly in the composition of the All Blacks teams and the players' eligibility to tour South Africa.
Currently, more than half of the 44-man squad is of Māori or Pacific ethnic background, a scenario that would have been impossible just over six decades ago. Under South Africa's "colour bar" during the 1960 All Blacks tour, a majority of today's squad members, including Semisi Ta eiloa, would not have been eligible due to their Māori or Pacific heritage.
This reflects the discriminatory practices enforced by the South African government against people of color during the apartheid era. Despite strong opposition, including a massive petition by the Citizens' All Black Tour Association, the 1960 tour proceeded without any Māori players. The exclusion of Māori players during the apartheid era was a significant barrier to the sport's progress towards equality and inclusion, a narrative that now plays a vital role in the excitement surrounding this year's tour, especially with the presence of brown faces and New Zealand's first black rugby captain, Siya Kolisi.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
