Department of Exercise, Sport and Lifestyle Medicine

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Browsing Department of Exercise, Sport and Lifestyle Medicine by Author "Allen, Dean Colin"

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    'A far greater game' : sport and the Anglo-Boer War
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2002-12) Allen, Dean Colin; Van der Merwe, F. J. G.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Sport Science.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Today white South Africans take their sport very seriously and at the tum of the nineteenth century this was no different. The key difference however was that a war had erupted between the two Boer Republics (Orange Free State and the Transvaal) and Britain. The Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902 was fought for the supremacy of South Africa at a time when sport was still developing within the country and like other facets of its culture, it too became entwined within a conflict that was to effect the whole future of Southern Africa. This socio-historical study is an attempt to explore sport during this era and how it impinged upon the relationship between Boer and Briton. A pivotal period in South African history, the account will trace the background and nature of the Anglo-Boer conflict and how a passion for sport was shared by both sides throughout and beyond the hostilities. Britain had indeed introduced its sporting codes to South Africa prior to the war and cricket and rugby in particular were already established within its towns and cities. The origins of both sports will be examined here including the significance of the first tours which took place between South Africa and Britain during this time. The majority of research for this study has been completed in South Africa, predominately within the Western Cape but also during spells in the Free State and Gauteng. Visits have also been made to various sources in the UK including Twickenham and Lords. Whilst published work has been used, concerted efforts have been made throughout to include data obtained from primary sources. The descriptive nature of the work has also necessitated the employment of qualitative methods of analysis with data gathered from archive and literary sources selectively underpinned with information from a number of interviews.