(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2006-03) Bolligelo, Alana; Grundlingh, A. M.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of History.
In the world of sports, rugby was one of the last sports to shed its amateur status and fully embrace a professional era. This change has been accompanied by as many setbacks as successes, as each member country of the International Rugby Board had to deal with problems particular to their context.
The South African context proved unique as it had to contend with a change in the governmental and social orders with the abolition of apartheid as well as with a change in value system with the adoption of a professional code. The acceptance of a new social order, one based on non-racialism has had an important influence of the development of the rugby union game in South Africa.