## A Past Revisited: South Africa’s Apology and Rugby’s Complex History
As we build towards the clash between the All Blacks and Springboks, the greatest rivalry in rugby had a somewhat unavoidable reminder of its painful past. News came through over the past 48 hours of the intention by SA Rugby to formally apologise for the exclusion of Māori (and presumably Pasifika) players for being excluded from touring apartheid-era South Africa.
The proposal was put forward by SA Rugby president Mark Alexander, whose career was shaped by the fact that as a coloured player, he was restricted to a separate competition to white and native african players. Selection for the Springboks was unfeasible, even if they hadn’t been banned from test matches during Alexander’s career.
There’s a couple of issues though. The first being that while Alexander’s invitation for the Māori All Blacks to tour South Africa next year was probably done with the best of intentions, the team has previously run into trouble due to the country’s complete post-apartheid course correction regarding selection and sporting contact.
The other one is that both SA Rugby and NZ Rugby have actually already said sorry, 15 years ago and in a way that directly involved the Māori all Blacks. The reason why perhaps it’s not so well remembered is that it was an event that both governing bodies were prodded into and ended up as a more of a political points-scoring effort in the Beehive.
2010 marked a century of Māori representative sides in New Zealand, wich included by a couple of rare fixtures against tier one opposition.The then-NZ Māori team were due to face Ireland and England in June, though in May the old issue of sporting contact with South Africa was brought up by Green Party MP Keith Locke, a veteran protester from the 1981 tour.Then-Prime Minister John Key was asked by Locke whether he would be apologising for the previous National-led government’s role in sanctioning the historic tours that excluded players.
The issue had come to light when South Africa’s Sport and Recreation Minster Reverend Makhenkesi Arnold Stofile sent a public letter of apology to Māori players who were left out of the 1928, 1949 and 1960 tours. this caught the NZRU (now NZ Rugby) unaware, given that their previous stance on the issue was that no apology was necessary, they said, on the advice of the Māori Rugby Board.
However, this was disput
New zealand and South Africa Rugby unions Apologize for Past Exclusionary Practices
In 2016, both New Zealand Rugby (NZRU) and the South African Rugby union (SARU) issued formal apologies for historical practices that excluded Māori and Black players, respectively. these apologies stemmed from the controversial 1981 Springbok tour of New Zealand and the broader context of apartheid in South Africa.
The NZRU apology acknowledged the impact of decisions made to exclude Māori players from New Zealand teams and tours. As reported by Radio New Zealand, the NZRU stated, “It was a period in which the respect of New Zealand Māori rugby was not upheld and that is deeply regretted.” https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/312491/nz-rugby-apologises-for-past-treatment-of-maori-players
The South African Rugby union followed with a similar apology, delivered by then-president Oregan Hoskins. Hoskins apologized to Māori players who may have been excluded from selection and to the Māori community for the offense caused. Crucially, he also extended an apology to Black South Africans who were systematically denied opportunities to represent their country and provinces due to apartheid-era policies. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/312491/nz-rugby-apologises-for-past-treatment-of-maori-players
the 1981 Springbok tour was especially contentious in new Zealand, sparking widespread protests against apartheid and the inclusion of South African players while Māori players faced exclusion at home.
Then-Prime Minister John Key took a notably detached stance on the apology, stating it was a matter for the rugby unions to resolve. This position, as noted in the New Zealand Herald, reflected an awareness of the potential political complications of becoming involved. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/govt-refuses-to-join-maori-rugby-apology/MEIBT4VMQ63NWRKAY3DITOA7XE/
Key’s own recollections regarding his views on the 1981 tour proved inconsistent. In a 2008 leaders’ debate, he stated he was pro-tour when he was 20 years old (in 1981). However, in a 2013 interview, he claimed to have no recollection of his position at the time. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/leaders-debate-latest-updates-clark-v-key/76NRT4LURB3QUZYKTQUHY4ZPQU/ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laEXIrKK8rI