February 7, 2024
Eden Park is New Zealand’s biggest sports stadium with a capacity of around 50,000. It’s used primarily for rugby in the winter and cricket in the summer. It is considered one of international rugby’s most difficult grounds for visiting team to play. In fact, the New Zealand men’s rugby team, called the All Blacks, has been unbeaten there in 48 consecutive matches, stretching back to 1994.
Outside the stadium were a number of statues. This scary looking guy is Tawhirimatea, the Maori God of wind and weather.
This hipster looking guy is Dave Gallaher who is sometimes known as the father of New Zealand rugby. Born in Ireland in 1873, he came to New Zealand as a child and was one of the country’s first All Blacks. Tragically, he was killed during World War I on the Western Front in 1917.
Finally, this high flyer is Michael Jones, who scored the first try of the final of the inaugural Rugby World Cup, that was held at Eden Park in 1987. New Zealand went on to beat Australia, 29-9.
Coincidentally, we had just watched a documentary about the 1981 Springbok tour of New Zealand, that brought back memories for Mal. For those who don’t follow rugby, the Springboks are the South African national rugby team, who happen to be the current World Champions. Back in 1981, South Africa was still an apartheid state. The New Zealand Rugby Union announcement that the Springboks would be touring New Zealand in 1981 left the country divided. Half of the population believed that participating in games against South Africa was showing support for a racist regime. The other half believed that sport should be kept separate from politics. The right wing government of the time agreed with the second group and allowed the tour to continue. Mal, at the time, was in his second year at university and was opposed to the tour. Rugby tours can take a number of months as the visiting side tours the country playing against regional teams as well as a number of Test matches (games between countries). During one of the games, protestors managed to get on to the field and the game had to be abandoned. From that time, protestors continued to try to get into the stadiums to disrupt the games. Mal was protesting at both the Springbok game against the Auckland side and another game when the Springboks played the All Blacks. Unlike most American football stadiums, Eden Park sits right at the center of a quiet suburban neighborhood, which it made the police difficult to defend. The police had created two special riot squads and they were the first to be issued with visored riot helmets and long batons. At the time, New Zealand police did not even carry weapons, so Mal can still remember the shock of seeing these riot police lined up. It was like something out of a movie. He can also remember the thrill of trying to getting around the police lines and the fear while running from a baton charge. During the Test match, a protestor flew a small plane low overhead and dropped bags of flour onto the field, one of which hit a player. It all added to the general confusion and mayhem. The surrounding streets were much quieter during today’s walk.
Mal and Lauren 