Sport and the New Zealanders A History

Sport has played a central part in the social and cultural history of Aotearoa New Zealand throughout its history. This book tells the story of sport in New Zealand for the first time, from the Maori world to today’s professional athletes. Through rugby and netball, bodybuilding and surf lifesaving, the book introduces readers to the history of the codes, the organizations and the players. It takes us into the stands and on to the sidelines to examine the meaning of sport to its participants and to the communities to which they belonged.

Greg Ryan is dean of the Faculty of Environment, Society and Design at Lincoln University. He is the author of The Contest for Rugby Supremacy: Accounting for the 1905 All Blacks ( 2005). Geoff Watson is a senior lecturer in history at Massey University. He wrote, Seasons of Honor: A Centenary History of New Zealand Hockey 1902–2002 (2002).