Wallabies were offered $200,000 for 1988 Rebel tour to SA

It has often been a source of conjecture in New Zealand rugby: how much did the Cavaliers get paid to make their rebel tour of South Africa in 1986?

The tour was the result of the legal ruling that the All Blacks could not make their 1985 tour of South Africa because it went against the NZRFU constitution. Players who made the tour received a two-Test suspension.

While there were suspicions of payments being made to undertake the tour, nothing official was ever outlined.

However, former Wallaby Brett Papworth has revealed what Australian players were to be paid for a similar rebel tour to be undertaken in 1988.

In an interview on rugby.com.au, Papworth said that after the 1987 Rugby World Cup and a tour to South America later that year he switched to rugby league.

The reason for that move was the cancellation of the Rebel tour.

"We had a rebel tour of South Africa planned and pretty much ready to go. It was worth $A200,000 tax-free," he said.

"We were days away from hitting the airport and it all blew up into this massive controversy. The tour got canned but I'd already spent that 200 grand in my head.

"The league boys had been chasing me for a while and it was pretty big money. I spoke to the Bulldogs, Tigers, the Gold Coast Giants and the Roosters. I chose the Rooster because I thought they were on the way up but the Bulldogs and Tigers ended up playing in the grand final of '88," he said.

Papworth said he never regretted move because he enjoyed meeting other players and it had been worthwhile financially. But he never reached his potential in the game as he twice broke his forearm, suffered a 'smashed' jaw and suffered two bad knee injuries.

Before getting back into rugby he endured a long court battle for reinstatement and is now president of the Eastwood club and a director of the Sydney Rugby Union.

The former second five-eighths was a dynamic performer who made his Test debut in 1985 after an outstanding schoolboys career for Australia.

He was part of the Alan Jones-coached side who won the Bledisloe Cup on their New Zealand tour of 1986.

"You don't beat the Kiwis on home soil very often. The fact we haven't won there [Eden Park] since then is remarkable but shows you just how tough it is," he said.

"We had a bloody good team and were good that day and they had a bit of turbulence. There had been a rebel tour of South Africa and they [New Zealand] welcomed most of those blokes back, so it was a difficult time for them.

"But they were still a great side and we should have won all three Tests [instead of 2-1]. We had a try disallowed in the second Test to Steve Tuynman that the Welsh referee [Derek Bevan] now admits was a try. We lost 13-12 before winning in Auckland," he said.

The Australians, joint hosts with New Zealand of the inaugural World Cup in 1987, felt they were a good chance to win the title. They were beaten in one of the semifinals by France.

"We played a World Cup semifinal at Concord Oval – people wouldn't believe it! We were holed up at the Travelodge at Camperdown, so it was hardly glamorous. Blokes were working. Jonesy [Alan Jones] was doing his radio show in the morning so we'd meet at 10 o'clock for training and then go off. But it was a big-time for us. We felt it was pretty special.

"We should have won that semifinal but couldn't get the job done. It was back and forth with the lead changing hands probably five or six times. They ended up scoring [in injury time]. It is considered one of the great games and when you get older, the winning and losing ceases to be so important. It was a special game to be part of," he said.