Anti-Springbok tour protesters stand in mid field at Rugby Park, Hamilton, 25 July 1981. Photo / New Zealand Herald / John Sefton
By Jonty Dine of RNZ
“Keep politics out of sport.”
It’s the war cry of the more ‘traditional’ footy fan, but there is no hiding the fact the two are closely linked and have been since the All Black’s inception.
TJ Perenara caused a serious stir during the haka in Sunday’s final test of the year against Italy, his final outing in black.
The outspoken halfback called “Toitū te tiriti o Waitangi” as he led Ka Mate, again prompting rhetoric about players needing to just play the game.
But whether it’s a Prime Minister using the side to promote themselves, players calling out social injustice, or the side simply embroiled in geopolitical scandals, politics and sport are rarely far apart.
A look back at the times when the All Blacks and politics clashed.
1906: New Zealand Premier Richard Seddon leads the Originals off the ship as they arrive home to an adoring crowd.
1928: All Black legend George Nepia is left behind as All Blacks first tour racially segregated South Africa.
1960: Citizens’ All Black Tour Association chases All Black plane as they depart for South Africa.
1970: Ken Gray refuses to tour South Africa due to the Apartheid regime while Bob Burgess declines even to trial.
1975: National promises to strengthen sporting relations with South Africa.
1981: Peak of sport meets politics. Skipper Graham Mourie sat out the tour. Bob Burgess takes part in the nationwide protests.
1986: Cavaliers make rebel tour to South Africa.
1995: Josh Kronfeld writes “nuclear free” on his headgear in a match for Otago to protest nuclear testing in the Pacific.
2011: Prime Minister John Key stands with All Black’s skipper Richie McCaw as he lifts the World Cup.
2014: Israel Dagg tweets in support of John Key during the election.
2015: Sonny Bill Williams tweets photos of dead children to protest the Syrian crisis.
2016: Kane Hames writes “Standing Rock” on wrist to protest the North Dakota pipeline during Māori All Blacks match in US.
2018: Brad Weber and TJ Perenara both speak out against Israel Folau’s homophobic tweets.
2018-19: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hands Bledisloe Cup to Kieran Reed.
2019: TJ Perenara writes “Ihumātao” on his wrist in support of the protests fighting housing development on the sacred site.
2024: TJ Perenara begins haka with a call to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
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