in years.

For the first time since 1990 the New Zealand All Blacks will be arriving minus their familiar tag of defending champions.

Absent from this year's line-up is Australia, shunned for at least one year because of their bawdy antics at the "Up Front Party'' at the Number One Shed -- and not because their play bottomed out.

Now in the fray when the seventh tournament begins on November 6 are South Africa, making their historic first visit to these shores.

The South African squad will include some of the storied names of their rugby past -- outhalf Naas Botha, wing Carel Du Plessis, scrumhalf Divan Serfontein, flanker Rob Louw and outhalf Errol Tobias.

Many of the players coming here made the tour to New Zealand in 1981 when anti-apartheid demonstrations raged out of control and threatened to cancel all their games.

Few fans ever got the opportunity to see their outstanding skills because of apartheid.

Tobias -- capped six times from 1981 to 1984 -- didn't play against the All Blacks during the '81 Test, but made his debut a few months earlier becoming the first black to ever wear the green, gold and white of the Springboks.

He will be part of the South African squad playing at National Sports Club (the Springboks play the US and New Zealand in the round robin stage) with the Classic giving him one more chance to relive the glory days.

Known as one of the best kickers in Springbok history, Tobias, 44, made an immediate impact when he scored 10 consecutive times with kicks, a record at the time. He also scored a try in his first game, grabbing a wobbly pass from his team captain.

"It was such a big relief to score,'' said Tobias in a telephone interview from his home near Cape Town last night. "That tour to South America really made me. The pressure was on and I couldn't afford to make one mistake. If I made one the others who had to follow behind me, their chances would be (hurt).'' Tobias blazed a trail not unlike baseball's Jackie Robinson, welcomed by team-mates but suffering daily taunts from South African fans who were unhappy watching a black person play their national sport.

"Still, it was something fantastic to be honoured like that,'' said Tobias, following a training session designed to get him in shape for his trip to Bermuda.

"From a political point of view things were very difficult then,'' he admitted. "There was at that stage a lot of unhappiness in South Africa with all the barriers and with Mandela being still captive.

"I never got complaints from my team-mates, we came together like all sportsmen, there's no time to look at colour.'' "He's been consistent throughout, but he's been quite a controversial character,'' said former team-mate Craig Jamieson, who will also be here next month. "He played a lot with his boot and he had a very calculated kick. He was deadly with regard to kicking footballs.'' Added team-mate Botha: "When Tobias played he was definitely one of the Springboks that deserved every single cap. It's not like he was there as token black. We always said it doesn't mater what colour you are, if you're the best then you play.'' Tobias wanted to play for the Springboks ever since he was a child, encouraged most of all by his mother.

"I was always living for rugby, my mother was rugby mad,'' he said. "When she passed away I got married and then my wife stood behind me.'' Tobias's mother never saw him play for his country, but his wife Sandra was always there while he played in those six Tests during a span of three years, often in difficult circumstances. Tobias also guested for the British Lions and once kicked 19 points against England for a South African provincial side.

"I had that barrier to break,'' said Tobias. "I mean I had to prove to people that it doesn't matter who scores a try. To see a try scored by a winger is one of the most beautiful things in rugby and it doesn't matter who scores it.'' Tobias said that it helped that his first games were on foreign soil in South America.

"I think it helped a lot because we all started from one level,'' he said.

"I think at home the white kids had a bit of an edge. They could miss a pass or do a bad kick and they wouldn't be booed. But if it was me they would have killed me.'' Tobias, in the construction business, is still involved in rugby, coaching a side in Caledon. He has played six games to prepare for the Classic. One of his two sons (he also has two daughters) plays rugby.

"I'm looking forward to being in Bermuda,'' said Tobias. "But I think the rugby will be hard.'' But certainly not as difficult as life was breaking down barriers and opening up new doors for South African blacks.

"I think the most important thing is I gave (blacks) a feeling...a sense of pride,'' he said. "That was taken from us because we didn't have a vote.

They can take anything away from us but they can't take our pride. But now everybody's got a chance here.'' ERROL TOBIAS -- the first black to play for South Africa in a Test will be in Bermuda for the World Rugby Classic.