1921 South Africa rugby union tour of Australia and New Zealand

The 1921 South Africa rugby union tour of Australia and New Zealand was the third tour made by the Springboks rugby team, and their first tour to Australia and New Zealand. South Africa played three Test matches against the All Blacks. The series was drawn 1–all, and the long-running controversy between the countries over the All Blacks' inclusion of Maori players began.

1921 South Africa rugby union tour of Australia and New Zealand
The South Africa side for their first ever Test match against New Zealand
Summary	P W D L
Total	24 20 02 02
Test match	03 01 01 01
Opponent	P W D L
NSW Waratahs	3 3 0 0
New Zealand	3 1 1 1
Tour chronology
Previous tour	1912–13 Europe
Next tour	1931–32 Britain & Ireland

The Springboks played five matches in Australia, winning them all. The three most important matches against New South Wales, were retroactively accorded Test status by the Australian Rugby Union in 1986, but remain as tour matches only for the South African Rugby Board.

South Africa then played nineteen matches in New Zealand, winning fifteen, losing two and drawing two.

Match summary

Complete list of matches played by the Springboks in Australia and New Zealand

  Test matches

#	Date	Rival	City	Venue	Country	Score
1	18 Jun	Victoria XV	Melbourne		Australia	51–0
2	25 Jun	New South Wales	Sydney	Showground	Australia	25–10
3	27 Jun	New South Wales	Sydney	Showground	Australia	16–11
4	2 Jul	New South Wales	Sydney	University Oval	Australia	28–9
5	6 Jul	Metropolitan	Sydney		Australia	14–8
6	13 Jul	Wanganui	Wanganui	Cooks Gardens	New Zealand	11–6
7	16 Jul	Taranaki	Taranaki	Pukekura Park	New Zealand	0–0
8	20 Jul	Wairarapa	Masterton	Memorial Park	New Zealand	18–3
9	23 Jul	Wellington	Wellington	Athletic Park	New Zealand	8–3
10	27 Jul	West Coast-Buller	Greymouth	Rugby Park	New Zealand	33–3
11	30 Jul	Canterbury	Christchurch	Lancaster Park	New Zealand	4–6
12	3 Aug	South Canterbury	Timaru	Fraser Park	New Zealand	34–3
13	6 Aug	Southland	Invercargill	Rugby Park	New Zealand	12–0
14	10 Aug	Otago	Dunedin	Carisbrook	New Zealand	11-3
15	13 Aug	New Zealand	Dunedin	Carisbrook	New Zealand	5–13
16	17 Aug	Manawatu / Horowhenua	Palmerston North	Palmerston North Showgrounds	New Zealand	3–0
17	20 Aug	Auckland / North Auckland	Auckland	Eden Park	New Zealand	24–8
18	24 Aug	Bay of Plenty	Rotorua	Arawa Park	New Zealand	17–9
19	27 Aug	New Zealand	Auckland	Eden Park	New Zealand	9–5
20	30 Aug	Waikato	Hamilton	Claudelands Racecourse	New Zealand	6–0
21	3 Sep	Hawke's Bay / Poverty Bay	Napier	McLean Park	New Zealand	14–8
22	7 Sep	New Zealand Māori	Napier	McLean Park	New Zealand	9–8
23	10 Sep	Nelson / Golden Bay-Motueka / Marlborough	Nelson	Trafalgar Park	New Zealand	26–3
24	17 Sep	New Zealand	Wellington	Athletic Park	New Zealand	0–0

Notes

The New Zealand team that played the first test v the Springboks on 13 August

Balance

Played in	Pl	W	D	L	Ps	Pc
Australia	5	5	0	0	134	38
New Zealand	19	15	2	2	244	81
Total	24	20	2	2	378	119

Match details

First Test

13 August 1921

New Zealand	13–5	South Africa
Try: Belliss Steel Storey Con: M. Nicholls (2)	Report	Try: van Heerden Con: G. Morkel

Carisbrook, Dunedin Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Edward McKenzie

New Zealand

South Africa

FB Charles Kingstone W Jack Steel C George Aitken (c) C Mark Nicholls W Percy Storey FH Ces Badeley SH Harry Nicholls WF Jim Donald P Ned Hughes P Bill Duncan F Richard Fogarty L Jim Moffitt L Jock Richardson F Moke Belliss L Andrew White

FB Gerhard Morkel W Attie van Heerden C Charlie Meyer C Wally Clarkson W Henry Morkel FH Mannetjies Michau SH Taffy Townsend P Frank Mellish H Theuns Kruger P Phil Mostert L Baby Michau L Harry Morkel F Alf Walker F Tokkie Scholtz N8 Boy Morkel (c)

Second Test

27 August 1921

New Zealand	5–9	South Africa
Try: McLean Con: M. Nicholls	Report	Try: Sendin Con: G. Morkel Drop: G. Morkel

Eden Park, Auckland Attendance: 40,000 Referee: Alf Neilson

New Zealand

South Africa

FB Charles Kingstone W John Steel C George Aitken (c) C Mark Nicholls W Percival Storey FH Cecil Badeley SH Edward Roberts WF Jim Donald P Ned Hughes P Bill Duncan F Les McLean L Jim Moffitt L Jock Richardson F Moke Belliss L Alfred West

FB Gerhard Morkel W Henry Morkel C Billy Sendin C Wally Clarkson W Bill Zeller FH Charlie Meyer SH Mannetjies Michau P Nic du Plessis H Theuns Kruger P Phil Mostert L Tank van Rooyen L Royal Morkel F Mervyn Ellis F Tokkie Scholtz N8 Boy Morkel (c)

Third Test

17 September 1921

New Zealand	0–0	South Africa
	Report

Athletic Park, Wellington Attendance: 35,000 Referee: Alf Neilson

New Zealand

South Africa

FB Charles Kingstone W John Steel C Mark Nicholls C Karl Ifwersen W Keith Siddells FH Billy Fea SH Edward Roberts (c) WF Moke Belliss P Richard Fogarty P Bill Duncan F Les McLean L Jim Moffitt L Jock Richardson F Charles Fletcher L Alfred West

FB Gerhard Morkel W Attie van Heerden C Charlie Meyer C Sarel Strauss W Bill Zeller FH Sas de Kock SH Mannetjies Michau P Frank Mellish H Phil Mostert P Nic du Plessis L Tank van Rooyen L Royal Morkel F Mervyn Ellis F Alf Walker N8 Boy Morkel (c)

See also

• History of rugby union matches between New Zealand and South Africa