The 1981 Springbok Tour (still known by many in New Zealand as The Tour) was a controversial tour of New Zealand by the South African Springbok rugby team. South Africa's policy of racial apartheid had made the nation an international pariah, and other countries were strongly discouraged from having sporting contacts with it. However, rugby union was (and is) an extremely popular sport in New Zealand, and the Springboks were considered to be New Zealand's most formidable opponents.