THE HARD MAN: RUGBY AND THE FORMATION OF MALE IDENTITY IN NEW ZEALAND

“ Manliness tempered by civilizing restraint”

By : Jock Phillips

Masculinity and Refinement Male Identity was formed based on

interaction of muscular virtues of the frontier against a fear of femininity in civilized/urban community

Rugby was born of the need to provide “a manly education tempered by civilizing restraints”

Before “football” there was rough contest with no rules.

Rugby: Early Beginnings

Got its start in English Public schools in the mid- 19th century

Civilizing process entered the schools Master’s of schools took traditional games with no

rules and organized them , saw them as an important contribution to education

Sought to replace the old masculine ideal with a new model ideal. Emphasized importance of a “gentleman” –polite, manner able, Christian bearing

Used Rugby as an outlet for boys to exhibit physical strength, virility, within a controlled/supervised setting

Rugby was formed with the specific idea to produce a “Manly Gentleman”- civilized yet still manly

New Zealand History of Rugby

George Sale, son of a master at Rugby School, drew up the “Laws of Football as played at Rugby School” (1845)

Charles Monro brought rules back when he returned from Sherborne

First game was played at Nelson in 1870

A. Drew introduced Rugby in Wanganui and Taranaki

Dunedin Tour (1877) essential in establishing rugby as dominating sport in the south

By 1882 Rugby was described as the “national sport” , and by mid 1890’s were over 50,000 players and over 300 teams

Rise to Power Influence of immigrants

from English public schools

Colony attracted more men from less prestigious school, than those from elite where soccer was the dominant sport

Rugby was able to be organized between different areas of New Zealand establishing inter-regional competition

Rugby became more popular because early supporters were the only men who had time and money to travel through New Zealand playing

Changes in Labor laws allowed men Saturday afternoons off to play

Popularity spread through range of social classes because the masculinity of the sport appealed to both the Elite and Country Men

An investigation of Manawatu Rugby players from 1878-1910 showed that they represented almost exactly a cross-section of the male population

Occupational variety among Rugby players ranged from farmers, to businessmen, to judges.

Class barriers less exclusive, allowed popularity of the game to spread more quickly in New Zealand

Why not Cricket, Or Soccer?

Did not require a lot of equipment, or careful preparation of the ground

Not Affected by climate Provided a form of

organized entertainment in a new society lacking long-established rituals.

Rougher and more physical than other sports

Display of “scientific masculinity”

Scrimmaging- provided physical contact amongst team mates

Man’s Game

Rugby was a Man’s game, which grew out of the rituals and culture of the pioneer male community”

Emphasis on strength and physicality

Trips allowed men to readily engage in -smoking, drinking, shooting

Language of pioneer male community

Gambling flourished alongside Rugby

Refinement of the Game

Frederick Pilling (1877) was killed in a match- coroner stated that it was only “worthy of savages”

Begin to be criticized more

Seen as encouraging all the less desirable characteristics – cursing, drinking, etc

Late 1880’s began to imposed more structure on the game, developed standardized set of rules

Set official rules for scoring, number of players allowed, mating of skill with strength, referees giving primary authority, violent elements where abolished

The New Zealand Rugby Football Union was established in 1892

Rugby Basics A rugby union team

consists of 15 players: eight forwards, numbered 1 to 8, and seven backs, numbered 9 to 15

Two 40 minute halves, maximum of 10 minutes half-time break

Try =5pts Conversion= 2 points Penalty & Drop Goal-3 Can only throw backwards

Scrum- http://youtu.be/fOvT3IqHSow

Lineouts- http://youtu.be/OCQfggoUSNU

Ruck- http://youtu.be/f7mvkYVRcfc

Fears of “Urban Decadence”

New refinement of the game brought new supporters and spectators

Fears about the effeminacy of men began to rise again

Idea that nature of urban jobs would rob men of physical strength crucial to male identity

Belief that extravagance of the urban life was making men soft

Urbanization as an Agent of National Decadence- S. G. Findlay (1911) ; worried men would not be physically adequate to compete against other countries

Beginning of century wide range of advertisements begin to appear local news papers for devices to restore men’s diminishing physical vitality.

Training the Muscular Gentleman

Game functioned as a form of social control

Game became more organized and ritualized

Prepared young men for more serious life conflicts or competitions

‘On the Ball’

“ This life’s but a scrimmage we cannot get through

But with many a kick and a blow,

And then to the end, though we dodge and we fend,

Still, that sure collar, ‘Death’ takes us low

…. Remember, then, boys as we journey though life,

There’s a goal to be reached by-and-by

And he who runs true-why, he’s bound to get through,

And perhaps kick a goal from his try.”

Why Rugby?

determination and hard work

Root in ritual, exercise in discipline

Subservice of the individual to the group

Emphasis of cooperation Generalized training in

social conformity Taught Character or

Manliness- emphasized self-discipline

Embodied the dominant ideal of character in English public schools

Became the core of the unofficial curriculum (1906)

In several boys high schools in New Zealand, Rugby became mandatory

All Blacks

1888 New Zealand team won 80 out of 108 matches between Britain and Australia

England and Wales tour in 1905, ‘All Blacks” win led New Zealanders to view rugby as essential to the New Zealand identity.

Suggestion that the “country life” produced superior physical manhood

Tour confirmed New Zealand’s role in the British empire, laid to rest fears of “urban decadence” ruining manhood

Represented the “virility of the colony”

Haka

Traditional Maroi war dance from New Zealand

http://youtu.be/gH0FOP96EDM

Performed mostly by New Zealand ruby teams, ritualistic, form of intimidation

Traditional & All Blacks

"Kapa o Pango"

“Ka Mate”

Kapa o Pango kia whakawhenua au i ahau! Hī aue, hī! Ko Aotearoa e

ngunguru nei! Au, au, aue hā! Ko Kapa o Pango e ngunguru nei! Au, au, aue hā! I āhahā! Ka tū te ihiihi Ka tū te

wanawana Ki runga ki te rangi e tū iho nei, tū iho nei, hī Ponga rā! Kapa o

Pango, aue hī! Ponga rā! Kapa o Pango, aue hī, hā!

All Black, let me become one with the land

This our land that rumbles

It’s my time! It’s my moment

This defines us as the All Blacks

It’s my time! It’s my moment!

Our dominance, Our supremacy will triumph!

And be placed on high !Sliver fern! All Blacks! Silver fern! All Blacks!

Slap the hands against the thighs!Puff out the chest.Bend the knees!

Let the hip follow!Stomp the feet as hard as you can!

'I die, I die,'I live, 'I live,'I die, 'I die

'I live, 'I live,This is the hairy man

...Who caused the sun to shine again for me

Up the ladder, Up the ladderUp to the top

The sun shines!Rise!

Rugby’s Blessings

• Physical strength • Lessons of

dedication and hard work

• Mode of thinking- self- sacrificing, common goal oriented

• Emphasis on team work and cooperation

• Rooted in ritual and morality