1971 South Africa rugby union tour of Australia


The 1971 South Africa rugby union tour of Australia was a controversial six-week rugby union tour by the Springboks 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.

Overview

The first games were then played in Adelaide and Perth, which were disrupted mainly by 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. Police had set up a wall of units around the stadium, around 650 policemen many armed with batons and some on horseback.
In Sydney, several people, including the Secretary of the New South Wales Builders Labourers Federation, 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.
Queensland premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen declared a month-long state of emergency. The game was instead played at the Exhibition Ground, being moved from its original venue at Ballymore, 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.
According to Meredith Burgmann and Peter McGregor, both leading firebrands, the rugby tour was a crucial target but to stop the summer's cricketing visit was the ultimate goal. They were successful in this regard as the cricket tour was called off due to security reasons.

Fixtures

Scores and results list South Africa's points tally first.
Opposing TeamForAgainstDateVenueStatus
Western Australia441826 Jun 1971PerthTour match
South Australia43030 Jun 1971AdelaideTour match
Victoria5003 July 1971MelbourneTour match
Sydney21127 July 1971SydneyTour match
New South Wales25310 July 1971SydneyTour match
New South Wales Country19314 July 1971OrangeTour match
'191117 July 1971Sydney Cricket Ground, SydneyTest match
Australian Capital Territory34321 July 1971CanberraTour match
Queensland331424 July 1971BrisbaneTour match
Junior Wallabies311228 July 1971BrisbaneTour match
'14631 Jul 1971Exhibition Ground, BrisbaneTest match
Queensland Country45144 Aug 1971ToowoombaTour match
1867 Aug 1971Sydney Cricket Ground, SydneyTest match

Touring group

Hookers
Props
Locks
Loose Forwards
Fullbacks
Wings
Centres
Flyhalves
Scrumhalves
South Africa won the Test Series 3–0
South Africa: McCallum, Nomis, Cronje, Jansen, Viljoen, Visagie, J Viljoen, Du Plessis, Ellis, Greyling, Williams, Du Preez, Marais, Van Wyk and Sauermann
Tries by Hannes Viljoen, Joggie Viljoen and Jan Ellis. Ian McCallum 2 conversions and penalty and Piet Visagie drop goal.
Australia Captain Greg Davis