The start of the 1920s was a traumatic time in New Zealand’s history. World War I and the influenza epidemic had together claimed the lives of nearly 30,000 people, and the gloom was compounded by the economy taking a nose-dive and many soldier-settlers being forced from their newly acquired land. All of which provided a backdrop to the first time the Springboks toured New Zealand in 1921.
Former chief of staff for the Prime Minister, Mike Munro brings together the story of an eagerly-anticipated rugby tour, and the troublesome memories of its time in his new book 1921: Rugby, Race and Empire — the result of hundreds of hours spent poring over newspapers from the time.
Photo: Supplied / Headshots.nz
