A cyclic crack growth machine using the split-tear test-piece was developed to avoid forking at the tip of the tear normally encountered with the conventional test-pieces especially those prepared from black-filled vulcanisates. A small strain was applied in simple extension and cyclic stressing was applied in the transverse direction so that the crack grew in the direction of the applied strain. The experimental results agreed with those results published by Lake et al. when cyclic crack growth rate (dc/dN) was plotted against tearing energy. Thus the experimental results provided further experimental evidence that tearing energy was a measure of true crack growth resistance independent of test-piece geometry. It was found also that there was no problem of forking for both unfilled and black-filled vulcanisates. By applying different strains, the effect of anisotropy was investigated. It was found that the tearing energy decreased as the applied strain was increased.