This first tour undertaken byEngland toSouth Africa was organised with a demanding schedule, although with only oneTest Match. Within two weeks and three days, seven matches were to be played, the first four at sea level, and the final three, including theTest Match, at the altitude in the highveld with only two days to acclimatise before a demanding fixture againstNorthern Transvaal. From the outset, under captainJohn Pullin and the management ofAlec Lewis andJohn Elders, there was a buoyant and optimistic spirit in the squad, as if they were determined to erase the memories of the last few seasons of undistinguished English performances.[citation needed]
The tour took place against the backdrop of widespread condemnation of theapartheid regime. Under pressure from other African nations, theInternational Olympic Committee had excluded South Africa from competing in the Summer Games since 1964, and there had also been protests against visiting sporting teams from South Africa.
In 1971, aninternational cricket boycott was instituted against South Africa to voice global disapproval of their selection policies and apartheid in general. South Africa subsequently became a world sporting pariah, and were excluded from theOlympics, theFIFA World Cup,test cricket, and a host of other sports.[1]
There were protests against the 1972 England rugby tour, including a blockade of their hotel to try to prevent them leaving, in which 14 people were arrested.[2]
Piet Greyling led a combination of Springboks who seemed hopelessly unsure of themselves.Dawie Snyman collected all the South African points with three penalties while England, with unspectacular competence, grabbed every scoring chance. Fullback Sam Doble converted a try by wing Alan Morley and also booted four penalties.[3]
^Greyvenstein, Chris (1992).Springbok saga : from 1891 to the new beginning (4th ed.). Cape Town: Don Nelson. pp. 217–218.ISBN1-86806-095-0.OCLC105375255.
^Griffiths, John (1982).The Book of English International Rugby 1871–1982. Willow Books. p. 358.ISBN978-0-00-218006-1.
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