Summing up century of rugby rivalry

Brutal by Ron Palenski, Upstart Press, $37.99 ..

.. .. .. .. .. .. The All Blacks first played the Springboks during World War I but it wasn’t considered an “official” game.

Officially our games began in 1921, which means we’ve taken the field together for 100 years.

Any rugby aficionado will tell you that the relationship is the most challenging and sought after in the game that still places rugby in front of religious loyalties in New Zealand. Reaching a century of the greatest rivalry the rugby world has known is a milestone. And who better to chronicle those remarkable years than respected historian and writer Ron Palenski.

Palenski takes us to the nitty gritty as the rivals All Blacks and the Springboks ave battered away at each other, neither team prepared to give an inch, as their fortunes fluctuated across the decades.

Before 1996 the Boks won 21 of the 42 tests played, with three draws. Then the All Blacks turned the tables, winning 34 games to South Africa’s 14. Overall it’s 52 wins to 35 in the All Blacks favour.

The relationship between the Springboks and the All Blacks hasn’t always been smooth. Apartheid became a critical issue for many Kiwis, coming to a head when the Boks began a controversial tour to our shores. Protests overshadowed the rugby action, especially in Hamilton. Political changes in South Africa eventually resolved the matter and rugby again became the focus.

Palenski has, as he always does, offered the reader a unique view of the 100 years of our

rugby activities. Who knows where the game will head in the post Covid-19 world, and whether the rivalry will continue its rollercoaster ride. But “brutal” is sure to loom large among adjectives employed by rugby scribes. — Tony Nielsen