New Zealand Rugby Tour of South Africa rosette

This rosette was made for the New Zealand Rugby Union's proposed tour of South Africa in 1985, only four years after the bruising experience of the Springbok rugby tour to New Zealand in 1981. Many New Zealanders had objected to that tour because of South Africa's policy of racial apartheid. Protests had caused obstruction and the cancellation of games, and much violence between protesters, supporters and police.

Renewed protest activity in 1985 demonstrated that the same issues remained. The proposed tour was cancelled after a successful legal challenge.

However, in 1986 an unofficial team of All Black players went to South Africa independently. They were called the 'Cavaliers' and included 28 All Blacks who were scheduled to tour South Africa in 1985 (only John Kirwin and David Kirk didn’t go).