Errol Tobias - International Career

International Career

Tobias' international career began when he was selected for the Proteas' 1971 tour of Britain. The Proteas was affiliated with the "Coloured" South African Rugby Football Federation, one of four racially-segregated rugby union associations in South Africa at the time.

On 4 June 1974 Tobias scored the only points (a penalty and a drop-kick) at fly-half as the Proteas were beaten 6-37 by the touring Lions side at Goodwood Showground in Cape Town.

In 1979 Tobias was part of the first multi-racial South African Barbarians side to tour the United Kingdom under manager Chick Henderson. Tobias was again included at centre in the South African Barbarians team that lost 14-25 to the British Lions at Kings Park on 2 July 1980. His teammates included Hugo Porta and three players of colour, Francois Davids, Charles Williams and Solomon Mhlaba.

Tobias was a member of the Springbok touring party to South America in October 1980 which was denied visas to enter Argentina. Due to international political pressure to sever cultural and sporting ties with South Africa because of apartheid, the tour was wrapped in secrecy, and matches played against Paraguay, Uruguay en Chile drew crowds as small as one hundred.

In 1981 Tobias was selected at centre for the Springboks to play against the touring Irish team. In the first test at Newlands on 30 May, a crowd of 37,000 watched as Tobias broke, then gave an inside pass to Rob Louw, who scored. Prior to the test Danie Craven warned Tobias that the game would be over before he would even realize that he was representing his country. The Springboks defeated the Irish 23-15, with Danie Gerber scoring one of the best tries ever seen at Newlands, Tobias recalled.

Tobias received his call-up to the national team's tour to New Zealand in 1981 from Dr Danie Craven via telephone. Before the ill-fated Springbok tour, managed by Johan Claassen and coached by Nelie Smith, Tobias prepared to play on the rain-soaked rugby fields that he expected to encounter by turning his back yard into a mud-bath.

His selection was controversial at home and abroad, with some critics suggesting that he was included as a token Black player. He was the target of placards and verbal abuse from the New Zealand anti-apartheid organisation Halt All Racist Tours, whose Dick Cuthbert called Tobias "an Uncle Tom". Within the touring squad attitudes towards Tobias also differed. Naas Botha implied in 2006 that players were more accepting, while Johan Claassen admitted that team management possibly had an "anti-Errol" bias.