The Game of Our Lives - Tries and Penalties

This episode of rugby series The Game Of Our Lives looks at the impact the sport has had on race relations in New Zealand. The country's history of rugby forging bonds between Māori and Pākehā is a stark contrast to South Africa's apartheid policy. Tries and Penalties focuses on the troubles between Aotearoa and South Africa —  from coloured players George Nepia and Ranji Wilson being excluded from All Blacks tours to South Africa, to the infamous 1981 Springboks tour, and Nelson Mandela opening the 1995 Rugby World Cup final between the two teams.

He played the best rugby I've ever seen anyone play on a rugby field. He was magnificent ... the whites didn't really like it. He was the first black ever to play for New Zealand in South Africa and he played marvellous rugby. It was God's will without doubt that he should play this rugby and they were really a bit upset.

– Grahame Thorne on Samoan-Kiwi Bryan Williams playing for the All Blacks in South Africa in 1970

Key Cast & Crew

John Carlaw

Director

George Andrews

Producer

Finlay Macdonald

Writer, Research

Paul Richards

Camera Operator

Chris Burt

Sound Mix

Leighton Clapham

Sound Recordist