Now that we have won the world cup the boys must come home and face real South Africa. We all rejoiced at their win but apart from green one would not tell which teams came from Africa. In 1995 when we won the world cup we had only one black Player Chester Williams and for some strange reason only blacks that speak Afrikaans get the nod in rugby. In 1995 there was hope that blacks will be roped in, but what we saw was rugby Bosses taking Nelson Mandela to court… In 1999 again one player Brayten Paulse who didn’t even play in that world cup represented blacks. Come 2003 again only one Ashwin Wellemse represented the black community.Jake White to his credit did a good job at a junior level to give blacks chances not only blacks as in Coloureds but blacks as in African as well. Some of the boys that were playing in this world cup actually represented South Africa at junior level but for some peculiar reasons Jake didn’t pick any of the black boys he coached at junior level when he joined the senior team… the question is why? My answer is politics.
White politics are still dominating rugby world. But I must also add that Jake White played more blacks in the national team more than any other coach before him, but when it comes to the crunch white politics dominate and blacks fall on the wayside. When South Africa was demolishing Argentina White (Jake) couldn’t even give Akhona Ndungane 2minutes of play. Maybe he thought Ndungane would claim glory that he didn’t deserve? I don’t know.
Rugby is a funny game if not stupid; Percy Montgomery is the player he is today because he
was given a chance when he was showing potential. The Coaches played him even though he was performing below par. Look at him today SA is benefitting. If he was black he would only be in the history books of rugby by now. Why the powers that be not apply the same principle to other players?
It looks like rugby bosses have kept one spot for blacks in rugby team. If you are black you will replace another black in that spot Paulse replaced Chester Williams, Ashwin Willemse replaced Paulse and now we have been upgraded to two spots. Maybe we need to celebrate, does that mean in the next two World cups we will have guaranteed two spots for players of colour? It is obvious blacks are fighting a losing battle… will whites ever embrace the unity like blacks do every time they are asked to. South Africa was green on Saturday if I could I would freeze that day, but I know it won’t be long before we hear stories of blacks that were beaten up by whites for wearing that Jerseys. Oh I heard that the springboks will be taking their trophy to SOWETO good for them and I know most of them if not all of them have never been there before. Blacks are quick to embraces white and most white are so far from doing the same. How is that for a rainbow nation?
10 comments:
Well done BOKS!!!BUT we still need transformation...
we are singing the same song over and over like an old LP or maybe it is best to say a scratched CD. Someone will hear that the country is crying and our prayers will be answerd.
Peeps,when are we going to stop blaming jake white and transformation??Akona was given a chance to play and he under performed,we almost lost against fiji when those under achievers played.Most blacks who play for SA are not the on merit but qouta. and I think Akona and Januarie are one of those as they really didnt deserve to go to the world cups.Jake white chose his squad from the pool he had.He is not the one who is supposed to develop young black players but the franchises are the ones who supposed to do it.Jake white had to play his strongest squad and he did,we won,lets stop complaining and start planning on how to transform rugby.Percy was not going to be dropped just after few below par games as he had expirience and and Jake White vowed to stick to his players when he started coaching.John Smit also under performed for sometime and jake white sticked with him,now look how much he has improved as a player.
Lets just hope politicians dont get too much involved and our rugby becomes like SA soccer...
Anonymous South Africa had been planning to transform Rugby since 1995. those guys can't be trusted. I agree with you maybe Jake white is not the one to blame. You seem to really believe that black are under archivers, but any way that is beside the point. I didn't suggest that Jake white drop Percy what I was saying was that at the begging of his career he really struggled but guys like Nick Mallet sticked with him until he gained experience and performed and that South African Coaches dot only to white players. Racist union /provinces cannot be relied upon they have failed blacks. It is people like you who believe that black is equal to mediocrity who fuel the racist behaviour in rugby.
I wish people like you can embrace change we know it is not easy.
I do embrace change,the only problem I have is when we want to push change on our countries sport expense.Blacks are not under achiervers but the ones that I mentioned failed when they were given a chance,same as other white guys.When Bob Skinstad was not selected for the final,nobody said anything,but if it was a darkie,the whole nation was going to protest the final.I know eleven years is a lot to make changes but changes can not be made in the world cup.Let us just celebrate that SA won and leave politics aside.We will deal with them after.
Ohh bytheway,Im a darkie like who feels rugby is transforming slow but I dont want to see my black brothers being pushed jsut for the sake of representing but not merit...
Muzi I don't smaak rugby primarily because of the transformation issue.
But I don't support any other team over the Boks even when I don't support the Boks.
I was hoping that they would win on Saturday though ...
It made me sad to see folks jump on the bandwagon and use Dube's death to talk smack about SA and the World Cup 2010.
But that is SA race politics.
You have provided a very worthy post here and there is much to chew on!
Rugby needs to transform for sure ... no excuses anymore.
And while we at it, please change the name and the colors.
Peace,
Ridwan
Thanks anonymous for engaging me on this post. To me it doesn't really matter whether you are black or white your contribution is more important than your race. Still on the issue I wish your memory can go beyond last four weeks, you speak as if this is the first time ever you hear of this cry for transformation in rugby. Jake White this morning acknowledged the lack of transformation. Ridwan I am also a Bok supporter because it is not the players fault that black players are not given a chance, I support them fully.
This is a frank response to the comments made by anomymous, contradicting himself, by saying Jack White stood by Percy and John while they underperformed at some atage, but the same courtesy cannot be given to the players of colour, Akhona, Rick and many others. I think people should stop being subjective when dealing with issues of this nature.
Annony,Iyou didnt get my point.Jake white stuck to those players because they had expirience,he was not going to stick with players who are only there because of their skin colour not because they are good.And there are some that Jake white stuck with even though they were not perfoming(Ashwin Willemse+Ricky Januarie),but can you tell me ricky would start a game over du preeze,dnt think so.Personally I dont think all black players who went to the world cup are the best we have in the country but most went there just because of qouta.Jake white has never denied that the isnt enough transformation and Im also not denying it,the only problem I have is when guys like you want changes to be done in the national squad while the local teams are not feeding them with enough good black players.
Guys lets be grateful that Jake white did good with little resources(Blackwise) and hope rugby starts transforming locally before national team start making changes.
I have a problem when people think that winning is more important than transformation OR when people believe that transformation can only come at the expense of winning.
I love winning, but there is no point winning and the nation is not part of the joy of winning, its sad actually!
I am sad that you are black but somehow share an unfounded suspicion that whenever blacks get involved in sporting codes that previously excluded them the standards will drop, i disagree with you.
Black people are traditionally extremely sporting and very good athletes, they have only been kept out of Rugby by politics, not ability or merit, a fear by many whites that as soon as blacks they will take over their beloved sport!
Anony 2
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