Citation

Snyders H. Int. J. Hist. Sport 2011; 28(1): 9-31.

Affiliation

University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

21280406

Abstract

Despite an early interest in the code among locals, an official history of rugby league in South Africa as well as a comprehensive historiography of the code is still lacking. This research is a first attempt to rectify the situation. Following the continuous migration of local rugby union players to rugby league clubs in northern England for over 50 years, rugby league was introduced into South Africa as entrepreneurial ventures during the mid-1950s and early 1960s. These initiatives immediately raised the interest of the local rugby fraternity for a variety of reasons. However, it also met with fierce resistance from the rugby union establishment (the South African Rugby Board) under the leadership of Dr Danie Craven, which was tasked with the protection of amateurism in the sport. An emerging rivalry between the National Rugby League (NRL) and Rugby League South Africa (RLSA), the two local controlling bodies, also complicated matters. Despite a systematic programme of intimidation, rugby league succeeded in establishing clubs, securing basic playing facilities and achieving international recognition and competition. It failed, however, in promoting its cause among the Black rugby fraternity or building its structures. In addition, incoming tours and limited success in the 1963 series against Australia and New Zealand coupled with a failure to secure long-term playing facilities conspired to undermine its growth potential and led to the local code's inevitable decline by 1965.

Language: en