Story: City images

Rugby Park occupation

Rugby Park occupation

Long-standing prejudices between city and country resurfaced during the 1981 South African Springbok rugby team's tour. Support for the tour was strongest in country areas and weakest in cities. On 27 July anti-tour supporters ran onto Hamilton’s Rugby Park before kick-off and occupied the field’s centre, causing the cancellation of the game. The expectant crowd erupted and police had to shield the protesters from furious spectators. Here the Reverend George Armstrong addresses police during the occupation.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PAColl-7327)
Reference: EP/1981/2598/28A
Photograph by Phil Reid

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Ben Schrader, 'City images - City versus country, 20th century', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/25298/rugby-park-occupation (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by Ben Schrader, published 11 Mar 2010