Although international rugby has been played for well over a century, the Rugby World Cup is a relatively recent phenomenon. The first tournament took place in May and June 1987, with games played in both New Zealand and Australia. The final was held at Eden Park, Auckland, on 20 June, where the home team beat France to become the inaugural holders of the Webb Ellis Cup.
1982 Soccer World Cup
The All Whites and the 1982 World Cup finals
Runs on the board - New Zealand cricket
The 1981 Springbok rugby tour
A country divided
Sport in New Zealand 1940-1960
'Listen...it's a goal!'
War and sport
New Zealand Natives' rugby tour of 1888-9
Introduction
All Blacks versus Springboks - 1981 Springbok tour
A long tradition of rugby rivalry
Rugby in 1888 - New Zealand Natives' rugby tour
Rugby in 1888
Politics and sport - 1981 Springbok tour
‘Politics and sport don’t mix’
In South Africa before 1948 the white minority enjoyed a privileged position, reinforced by a number of laws and practices that ensured there was extensive segregation of the races. When Daniel Malan’s Nationalist Party came to power that year, this separation was intensified with a policy known as ‘apartheid’ (‘apartness’ in Afrikaans) that aimed to strictly divide the races.
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