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Title: Rugby and the South African Nation: Sport, Cultures, Politics and Power in the Old and New South Africas (International Studies in the History of Sport) by John Nauright, David R. Black ISBN: 0-7190-4932-6 Publisher: Manchester Univ Pr Pub. Date: October, 1998 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $29.95

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Average Customer Rating: 3.17 (6 reviews)

Rating: 3
Summary: Rugby book review
Comment: Rugby has played a prominent role in the history and development of the South African nation, especially since the apartheid years, beginning in 1948. In their book, although lacking concision and clarity, David R. Black and John Nauright amply demonstrate this important theme. White dominance was exceedingly evident during the apartheid years, and rugby, among other sports, was just one avenue by which it was carried out. Black and Nauright begin by laying the foundation of the evident role of sport in culture and politics. Sport has been tied to power in South Africa, and it is no longer possible to separate the worlds of sport and politics.
Rugby was brought to South Africa by the British in the early 1800s. Rugby, among other sports, has since been a dominating force in South African international politics. A strong sense of white superiority was brought with the game of rugby, and the nation has been fighting the effects of the apartheid years through sports as well as other avenues ever since. Black and Nauright also address the chain of events surrounding the international boycott of South African sporting participation and how the nation has since reentered the sporting arena, this positive change beginning with the 1995 Rugby World Cup (RWC).
After the 1995 RWC, South African rugby began to fall apart, and rugby slowly lost some of its power over government policies. Black and Nauright conclude the book with the notion that rugby's role in nation building in South Africa is going to shift and change, but continue to remain an important influence. The authors leave you with somewhat of a sense of finality, tying up much of the confusion from previous chapters.

Rating: 4
Summary: Review
Comment: In their book, David Black and John Nauright delve deep into the roots of sporting history in South Africa - tracing it to its British origins - while also tracing the roots of South Africa's widely-known racist ideologies and exploring their effect on each other through the sport of Rugby. Black and Nauright imply that rugby is one of the most important sports in South Africa, if not the most important, and that sanctions imposed by international sporting organizations on the game had the most deeply-felt effects on the apartheid government.
The first few chapters of the book provide a general history of sports in South Africa and follow the development of rugby. The middle chapters present the meat of apartheid and sport in South Africa, with stories of international sanctions and particular focus on South Africa's relationship with New Zealand and Australia. Writing about the 1995 Rugby World Cup held in South Africa, Black and Nauright make a clear statement that many government efforts at presenting a reformed face to the sporting world were superficial and short lived.
Overall I found the information in the book to be helpful, but hard to swallow at times. The highly academic language was a factor, as well as the sheer volume of information crammed into such a small space. Both factors served to dull an otherwise fascinating topic. The notes at the end of chapters however, were useful, and there is no doubt that the authors presented a well-researched project in their book.

Rating: 3
Summary: Read it for knowledge not pleasure.
Comment: David Black and John Nauright's Rugby and the South African Nation steps the reader through the history of rugby in South Africa. From the early 1800's until the late 1900's, rugby was brought by the British, developed in their missions and played key roles in the lives of both South African settlers and natives. Black and Nauright did a good job explaining the importance of each major topic on the overall effect of the people and government in South Africa. The use of words that leaves many readers going for the dictionary together with long complicated sentences made it obvious that they wrote this book for the well-educated reader. This book did discuss, as the title suggests, rugby and its role in South Africa.

Black and Nauright start with the history behind white and black rugby in South Africa and how it has helped form the nation. They write in depth on the secret society of the Broederbond as well as the sporting relationship with New Zealand and the Rugby World Cup of 1995. Each of these chapters are well organized individually, however, seem to be awkwardly organized in the overall structure of the book.

This book should not be read for pleasure purposes. It has a depth of information regarding the effects of rugby on the South African Nation that will inform anyone who reads the book. Black and Nauright are sometimes hard to follow, however, seem to know the material and write like their readers have at least a limited knowledge of rugby and the South African Nation. You may spend considerable time re-reading sentences in order to decipher the authors' thoughts.