SA rugby in trouble

[goodNumber10]

"It's not racism if the product of players that happen to be african are just not as good as the white players." <- It is exactly like that. The minority is over represented in the side because the talent in greater in that group. In Oz and Hong Kong (just like SA) because those groups participate in the sport more than the majority. Fact.

The fact those people are not afforded the same situation is what makes it fundamentally racist.

Comparing the misrepresentation of Asians in the hong kong team to the misrepresentation of black players in the team representing one of the richest Unions in the world is utterly preposterous, especially when that union was supportive of racial segregation for a number of decades and is in a position to affect change.

Additionally in both Hong Kong and Australia union is a niche sport, whereas in SA it is the national sport - so it's not unreasonable that the sport be a true representation of the countries demographic.

That doesn't mean players of lesser skill should be selected on Quota, but it does mean that SARU should be making huge steps into bringing the sport to the indigenous population and excusing that misrepresentation with the "they just don't' play our sport" is completely papering over the issue at hand.

Especially when that sport was instrumental in reunification post apartheid.

 

[SomeOke]

Firstly I'd like to say that the political party in questions is fairly insignificant, and I seriously doubt anything will come of this law suit.
That said I do think GoodNumber10 basically has the right of it, and to preface what I am about to say I am a middle class white guy. The fact that after 21 years of "transformation" a 10% minority (i.e. the white population) makes up 70% of the national rugby team is troubling. More pertinent though are the persistent problems of inequality in the country which cannot be separated from racial lines. White families still have the generational wealth that means the majority of white children are sent to good schools, have good nutrition and access to top coaching, whereas the majority of South Africa's very large, and very poor population are still black people literally living in shacks and stuck in a poverty trap that is very difficult to escape.
The relationship between wealth/rugby vs poverty/soccer is pretty prevalent throughout the world (Argentina, SA, even the UK) and until SA's greater issues like mass poverty and unemployment can be fixed the racial divide will probably persist. The slightly good news is that the black middle class is growing, but not as quickly, or by the kind of margins we need.

It's not an easily solvable problem as you'd basically need to fix an entire countries problems before our rugby was fixed, it doesn't help that our Government are corrupt and pretty useless (as seen through history, often revolutionaries struggle to lead successful governments). Anyway I'm still young and hopeful enough that I do think things will change, but it will probably take another 50 years and a few regime changes to get there.
For what it's worth here's an imagine with all black rugby players vs all white soccer players since 1992:

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

It's not racist at all. The point is they are afforded a choice in sport most black SA are not, most white SA's are privileged enough to be able to pick their sport, and be in a position to excel at it.

I'm not saying I agree with quotas etc... But from looking in it does appear as if transformation of rugby has been badly handled.

Saying it's not racist is ridiculous. The quota ruling is racist. They force SARU to select players based on skin color. How is that not racist?

This isn't 1990 anymore when most black kids did not go to proper schools. After 20+ years since Apartheid was abolished, the black community has had equal chances to develop and be educated. Rugby is being played in schools as is soccer (football). Just because most black kids prefer soccer over rugby and decide to play that game, does not mean the black kids don't get a chance to play rugby.

Saying white kids in SA are privileged to be able to pick a sport is ridiculous. Yes, there is poverty and yes, till this day people still live in shacks but that is not the result of Apartheid. That is the result of mismanagement by the current government. It took Germany 10 years to recover from World War II but somehow South Africa has not been able to resolve the poverty issue after 20+ years of equal rights.

Having a quota system makes sense from a commercial standpoint. BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) has been in place to give black people a chance to apply and get proper jobs. Despite this sometimes resulting in people without proper qualifications getting the job, it has helped and steered the country in the right direction. When it comes to sports though, this is not the way to go. You have to pick the best players, regardless of skin color, sexual preference, heritage, social background etc. The black kids whom did decide to play rugby at a young age eventually did so and some have managed to get to a level where they have caught the eye of professional teams. Kolisi, Habana, Pietersen, Maku, Hadebe, Nyakane, Mohoje, Grey, Mtembu, Ntubeni, Ndungane (x2), Sithole, Blommetjies, Jantjies, Bobo and many, many others have shown the black and coloured kids of today they can succeed when playing rugby. However, this does not change the fact that more kids decide to play soccer instead.

South Africa has always been a country where certain sports have been favoured by certain groups of people. Basically it comes down to this:

Rugby is played by white people
Cricket is played by coloured/indian people
Soccer is played by black people

This has been the case in the past and forcing professional or national teams to select more black players won't resolve this. Unless more black kids decide to play rugby instead of soccer, it will still remain a predominantly white sport.

Can you imagine the outcry and ****storm if the French government said: "Listen, we don't have enough 'colonial' players in our national rugby team. We will force them to select at least 12 colonial players to go to the World Cup. The football team does it, so why not the rugby team?"

Wow. The European Union would go ape ****.

Just because the ANC lacks the knowledge and common sense to resolve the issues on a political level does not justify the use of a quota system. It's racist and by doing so, the ANC has turned the Springboks into a symbol of racism which, ironically, they complained about themselves during the 1980s.

 

[SomeOke]

@Zeke
Unfortunately I don't think it's as simple as that.
Firstly in order for a white child to go to a good school (and most of the most prestigious, richest schools in SA play rugby, if you google the top 20 most expensive boys schools in I'm pretty sure every one will be rugby focused) you basically just have to be born. Where as a black child born to a poor family (and make no mistake black people are statistically poorer than white people in SA, by a very large margin) will have to do so much more to go to one of those rugby schools.

There is no reason why the "black race" should prefer soccer to rugby, honestly being black is just melanin in the skin. We are all part of the human race, there is nothing inherently "white" about rugby other than the its relationship with wealth.

 

[goodNumber10]

Saying it's not racist is ridiculous. The quota ruling is racist. They force SARU to select players based on skin color. How is that not racist?

For a start i have at no point said the quota system was right, the first point you reference you have purposefully misquoted, i'm talking about misrepresentation in Soccer not rugby.

This isn't 1990 anymore when most black kids did not go to proper schools. After 20+ years since Apartheid was abolished, the black community has had equal chances to develop and be educated.

Rugby is being played in schools as is soccer (football). Just because most black kids prefer soccer over rugby and decide to play that game, does not mean the black kids don't get a chance to play rugby.

Saying white kids in SA are privileged to be able to pick a sport is ridiculous. Yes, there is poverty and yes, till this day people still live in shacks but that is not the result of Apartheid. That is the result of mismanagement by the current government. It took Germany 10 years to recover from World War II but somehow South Africa has not been able to resolve the poverty issue after 20+ years of equal rights.

Having a quota system makes sense from a commercial standpoint. BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) has been in place to give black people a chance to apply and get proper jobs. Despite this sometimes resulting in people without proper qualifications getting the job, it has helped and steered the country in the right direction. When it comes to sports though, this is not the way to go. You have to pick the best players, regardless of skin color, sexual preference, heritage, social background etc. The black kids whom did decide to play rugby at a young age eventually did so and some have managed to get to a level where they have caught the eye of professional teams. Kolisi, Habana, Pietersen, Maku, Hadebe, Nyakane, Mohoje, Grey, Mtembu, Ntubeni, Ndungane (x2), Sithole, Blommetjies, Jantjies, Bobo and many, many others have shown the black and coloured kids of today they can succeed when playing rugby. However, this does not change the fact that more kids decide to play soccer instead.

South Africa has always been a country where certain sports have been favoured by certain groups of people. Basically it comes down to this:

Rugby is played by white people
Cricket is played by coloured/indian people
Soccer is played by black people

This has been the case in the past and forcing professional or national teams to select more black players won't resolve this. Unless more black kids decide to play rugby instead of soccer, it will still remain a predominantly white sport.

Can you imagine the outcry and ****storm if the French government said: "Listen, we don't have enough 'colonial' players in our national rugby team. We will force them to select at least 12 colonial players to go to the World Cup. The football team does it, so why not the rugby team?"

Wow. The European Union would go ape ****.

Just because the ANC lacks the knowledge and common sense to resolve the issues on a political level does not justify the use of a quota system. It's racist and by doing so, the ANC has turned the Springboks into a symbol of racism which, ironically, they complained about themselves during the 1980s.

I, I, just don't even know where to begin dissecting that, again i have not said the Quota system is right, i said that there is an issue with the imbalance of representation.

 

[Catalan Bronco]

The fact those people are not afforded the same situation is what makes it fundamentally racist.

Comparing the misrepresentation of Asians in the hong kong team to the misrepresentation of black players in the team representing one of the richest Unions in the world is utterly preposterous, especially when that union was supportive of racial segregation for a number of decades and is in a position to affect change.

Additionally in both Hong Kong and Australia union is a niche sport, whereas in SA it is the national sport - so it's not unreasonable that the sport be a true representation of the countries demographic.

That doesn't mean players of lesser skill should be selected on Quota, but it does mean that SARU should be making huge steps into bringing the sport to the indigenous population and excusing that misrepresentation with the "they just don't' play our sport" is completely papering over the issue at hand.

Especially when that sport was instrumental in reunification post apartheid.

I never said that, I personally agree with everything you are saying. SA needs to invest in the black youth playing rugby, that is true. My point was solely to say why the national side is mostly white at this point in time, but hopefully it will change.

 

[goodNumber10]

I never said that, I personally agree with everything you are saying. SA needs to invest in the black youth playing rugby, that is true. My point was solely to say why the national side is mostly white at this point in time, but hopefully it will change.

fair enough mate

 

[SomeOke]

Quotas aren't the answer that's for sure. I'm not sure what is though, other than a more organized government with better policies aimed at grass roots levels. As I've previously mentioned you can't separate rugby from economics, politics or sociology in SA, so there is almost certainly no easy way to fix things.

 

[Shaggy]

From the reading I've done elsewhere, it seems that the Springbok management feel they have complied with the quotas placed upon them. I'm wondering what would happen from a RWC 2015 point of view, if the Boks were forced to withdraw; would World Rugby take legal action themselves due to lost revenue?

 

[Catalan Bronco]

From the reading I've done elsewhere, it seems that the Springbok management feel they have complied with the quotas placed upon them. I'm wondering what would happen from a RWC 2015 point of view, if the Boks were forced to withdraw; would World Rugby take legal action themselves due to lost revenue?

I was pondering the same thought. Also, who would get their spot in the tournament? Zimbabwe (the next African side), or someone else?

 

[nickdnz]

It's not racist at all. The point is they are afforded a choice in sport most black SA are not, most white SA's are privileged enough to be able to pick their sport, and be in a position to excel at it.

I'm not saying I agree with quotas etc... But from looking in it does appear as if transformation of rugby has been badly handled.

That is based on the concept that the reason for black players not excelling in rugby is due to an interested black communities wanting to play rugby, but lack the resources to do so. The reality is that there isn't the genuine love of rugby in most black communities, for many it is still linked with apartheid.

Surely guys like Cheslin Kolbe would point a lack of resources not prohibiting involvement in rugby. But even if we accept that is the case - that black players are in a state of poverty and thus can't afford to play the game - surely it is the government's responsibility to improve the conditions of its people to it being even - rather than arbitrarily attacking a minority which is perceived to excel in a specific activity. That is like watching someone turning blue at the dinner table next to you - and rushing over to paint his face his normal tone. It doesn't stop the guy from choking, just superficially makes it look less so.

From the outside looking in I have a lot of sympathy for white South African rugby players. Sport and national selection is supposed to be a meritocracy. Many young players would not have even remembered an apartheid South Africa - and yet it feels the sport is constantly being made an example of, by a government who is more interested in hurting a minority group, in an effort to placate a majority without any real benefits added to their lives. It is racism - and I think in the chance that South Africa don't go to the RWC (and they will) - the accusations of racism are pointed entirely against the wrong people.

 

[JohnKA]

To solve this the goverment should start by funding the lower class schools to get them all to a proper standard this is not easy and will take time and effort but possible ... the problem however is "effort" they (the goverment) want to give orders and then sit back and see results ... then after a year moan about it is not happing ... the lower class schools must get to a better standard before the black players will improve .. i am sure there is alot of young black players in lower class schools that have huge potensial but they lack proper coaching and the will to compete with the best because they are not use it .. and then ofcourse a scout to spot them .. then there should also be looked at their living conditions and get them food in there bellies to do there best on the rugby field ... but as i said ... the goverment is not giving this enough attension if they really want this fixed it can happen ... but do they really want it fixed ? Or continue to ride the apartheid wave and sit back and have a jol ?

 

[goodNumber10]

That is based on the concept that the reason for black players not excelling in rugby is due to an interested black communities wanting to play rugby, but lack the resources to do so. The reality is that there isn't the genuine love of rugby in most black communities, for many it is still linked with apartheid.

that point might stand up if all things are equal, and they are not.

Surely guys like Cheslin Kolbe would point a lack of resources not prohibiting involvement in rugby.

Exceptions to the system doesn't disprove the system is fundamentally broken.

But even if we accept that is the case - that black players are in a state of poverty and thus can't afford to play the game - surely it is the government's responsibility to improve the conditions of its people to it being even - rather than arbitrarily attacking a minority which is perceived to excel in a specific activity.

Right, it is up to the Government, but Rugby and SARU is one of the biggest symbols of pre-aprtheid South Africa, as a sport that is often claimed to have united the nation, it feels wrong that their are not the pathways to bring a larger percentile of the indigenous population through.
It is a symbolic sport, SARU should be doing more.

From the outside looking in I have a lot of sympathy for white South African rugby players. Sport and national selection is supposed to be a meritocracy. Many young players would not have even remembered an apartheid South Africa - and yet it feels the sport is constantly being made an example of, by a government who is more interested in hurting a minority group, in an effort to placate a majority without any real benefits added to their lives. It is racism - and I think in the chance that South Africa don't go to the RWC (and they will) - the accusations of racism are pointed entirely against the wrong people.

I don't think the players are being accused of being racist, the SARU are and it's probably a valid claim in as much as they have failed to get rugby into the areas populated by blacks.

It is a sport that is symbolic of decades of oppression on the most horrible of levels you can't just say those years don't matter now because the kids don't remember it. The people in charge certainly do and it should be addressed.

That's not to say Quotas are the way to go, but there is certainly a valid accusation that SARU have not met their obligations in developing the sport in the black community. of course it goes deeper than just the sport but there is a very good reason for that.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I love the participation in this thread, but guys, let's dial it down a bit. No need to get angry

The same accusation could be levelled at South African Soccer... how many white boys play for Bafana Bafana? Do they have a race quota imposed upon them? If they did, then two out of 11 players should be non-black, and one of those should be white.

If you use that model, then Bafana complies nearly every time. Dean Furman & Mark van Heerden has been in the Bafana squad the last few games. But yeah, they use the absolute bare minimum to implement the representation of the minority groups in Soccer.

@Zeke
Unfortunately I don't think it's as simple as that.
Firstly in order for a white child to go to a good school (and most of the most prestigious, richest schools in SA play rugby, if you google the top 20 most expensive boys schools in I'm pretty sure every one will be rugby focused) you basically just have to be born. Where as a black child born to a poor family (and make no mistake black people are statistically poorer than white people in SA, by a very large margin) will have to do so much more to go to one of those rugby schools.

There is no reason why the "black race" should prefer soccer to rugby, honestly being black is just melanin in the skin. We are all part of the human race, there is nothing inherently "white" about rugby other than the its relationship with wealth.

We can't use that excuse anymore! Not since 1996. Schools like Affies, Pretoria Boys High, Waterkloof, Grey Bloem, Grey PE, Paarl Gym, Paarl Boys High, Jeppe, Bishops, Maritzburg College to name but a few has plenty of black kids in their school, at some schools, the ratio is 50% or higher for black kids over white kids. It's now more than 20 years, since Democracy, and next year it will be our Constitution's 20th Birthday (We had an interim democratic constitution from 1993-1996).

The big thing is the term CHOICE. Black kids prefer soccer over rugby or cricket. They choose to play soccer, or they choose to not play rugby. Now the problem is their is a form of forcing these kids to play a sport which they don't like or want to play.

From the reading I've done elsewhere, it seems that the Springbok management feel they have complied with the quotas placed upon them. I'm wondering what would happen from a RWC 2015 point of view, if the Boks were forced to withdraw; would World Rugby take legal action themselves due to lost revenue?

Well the court hearing is scheduled for tomorrow in the North Gauteng High Court. I don't think much will happen, apart from grabbing the country's attention. But it's just the first move of many if Cosatu, SARU, ANC and the Government continues to interfere. We should aslo bear in mind that WR can do this same move to the Springboks without even going to court if WR feels that SARU is not abiding by WR's rules on fair representation.

To say this is not racism is just mind-boggling to me. To pick a person over another person based on skin-colour is the pure definition of Racism. And to make it sound fancy by calling it institutionalized racism is not evading the issue.

Handre Pollard was born in 1994. 2 years after our Democracy. He won't have any recollection of what happened before that, now he is in a team where our country's past is still a focus point. Something which happened before he was even born!

And we need to seperate BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) here from Racism. BEE does not apply to sport in South Africa on a playing basis, so to use institutionalised racism as an example does not apply here.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I've started writing up my feelings a number of times but just havn't been able to complete and post.

 

[goodNumber10]

I love the participation in this thread, but guys, let's dial it down a bit. No need to get angry

If you use that model, then Bafana complies nearly every time. Dean Furman & Mark van Heerden has been in the Bafana squad the last few games. But yeah, they use the absolute bare minimum to implement the representation of the minority groups in Soccer.

It's a terrible comparison because of all the reasons above, if the white community decided Football was the game they'd have the financial and logisitcal systems/power in place to excel at it.

Secondly Football is a much simpler sport it's easier to play, understand and excel at, there is no requirement for specialist training as we see across the world with kids in poverty stricken areas such as Brazil excelling.

We can't use that excuse anymore! Not since 1996. Schools like Affies, Pretoria Boys High, Waterkloof, Grey Bloem, Grey PE, Paarl Gym, Paarl Boys High, Jeppe, Bishops, Maritzburg College to name but a few has plenty of black kids in their school, at some schools, the ratio is 50% or higher for black kids over white kids. It's now more than 20 years, since Democracy, and next year it will be our Constitution's 20th Birthday (We had an interim democratic constitution from 1993-1996).

20 years is nothing

The big thing is the term CHOICE. Black kids prefer soccer over rugby or cricket. They choose to play soccer, or they choose to not play rugby. Now the problem is their is a form of forcing these kids to play a sport which they don't like or want to play.

No the problem is why do they make that choice? Saying blacks prefer football is an inherently racist statement (NB: to be clear i am not calling you racist, i'm making a generalist statement), there are a multitude of reason behind why that decision is made, and it doesn't change the fact that a massive % of the countries population are not involved in the National sport in anyway.

To say this is not racism is just mind-boggling to me. To pick a person over another person based on skin-colour is the pure definition of Racism. And to make it sound fancy by calling it institutionalized racism is not evading the issue.

Handre Pollard was born in 1994. 2 years after our Democracy. He won't have any recollection of what happened before that, now he is in a team where our country's past is still a focus point. Something which happened before he was even born!

And we need to seperate BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) here from Racism. BEE does not apply to sport in South Africa on a playing basis, so to use institutionalised racism as an example does not apply here.

Clearly you're having a pop at my use of the term institutionalised racism, even though you are using it in the wrong context, and of course it applies here, how on earth can it not were talking about a sport that takes athletes and rewards them on a level undreamt of in the poverty strciken parts of the country.

With all that's on offer to a top class rugby player I find the statement "they just prefer soccer' incredibly distasteful. It's like using crime statistics to say that a certain race is predisposed to certain crimes without taking into account the socio-economic impact on the society these criminals come from.


Regardles the Quota system is not racist, it's positive discrimination, that's a massive point of difference, and has been used across the world to redress the imbalance of many unfairly treated groups.

Is it right? Well no, as i've said i'm not saying Quota system is right, but if more had been done to demonstrate the development and opportunities afforded to the black population was the same as the white there would be no grounds for a quota system as everyone would be there on merit only.

And yes, it's linked to Economic development, which is why Rugby is so important within this discussion.

 

[TRF_heineken]

that point might stand up if all things are equal, and they are not.



Exceptions to the system doesn't disprove the system is fundamentally broken.



Right, it is up to the Government, but Rugby and SARU is one of the biggest symbols of pre-aprtheid South Africa, as a sport that is often claimed to have united the nation, it feels wrong that their are not the pathways to bring a larger percentile of the indigenous population through.
It is a symbolic sport, SARU should be doing more.



I don't think the players are being accused of being racist, the SARU are and it's probably a valid claim in as much as they have failed to get rugby into the areas populated by blacks.

It is a sport that is symbolic of decades of oppression on the most horrible of levels you can't just say those years don't matter now because the kids don't remember it. The people in charge certainly do and it should be addressed.

That's not to say Quotas are the way to go, but there is certainly a valid accusation that SARU have not met their obligations in developing the sport in the black community. of course it goes deeper than just the sport but there is a very good reason for that.

So you think that SARU should do more? Like what? And how?

Remember that in 2010 we hosted the FIFA world cup. And then we got a massive amount of money aimed towards development. SAFA (South African Football Association) is trying to do the exact same thing SARU and CSA (Cricket South Africa) is doing with regard to development in rural areas. But now the problem is that the 3 factions are basically working against each other in trying to draw kids towards playing their sport and developing into good player. In rare occurances we will get a guy like Conrad Jantjes who got national colours in all 3 sports at age group levels. But that is a massive exception to the rule.

SAFA unfortunately has the upper hand here, because of the backing of FIFA and the influx from the last World Cup.

But this is the problem with the Government and the morons in charge. They are looking at the tip of the pyramid instead of the foundation. They want the glory without doing the hard work first.

 

[goodNumber10]

So you think that SARU should do more? Like what? And how?

Remember that in 2010 we hosted the FIFA world cup. And then we got a massive amount of money aimed towards development. SAFA (South African Football Association) is trying to do the exact same thing SARU and CSA (Cricket South Africa) is doing with regard to development in rural areas. But now the problem is that the 3 factions are basically working against each other in trying to draw kids towards playing their sport and developing into good player. In rare occurances we will get a guy like Conrad Jantjes who got national colours in all 3 sports at age group levels. But that is a massive exception to the rule.

SAFA unfortunately has the upper hand here, because of the backing of FIFA and the influx from the last World Cup.

But this is the problem with the Government and the morons in charge. They are looking at the tip of the pyramid instead of the foundation. They want the glory without doing the hard work first.

I dpon't profess ot have an answer, i think it's an issue that goes way deeper than just sport.

 

[JohnKA]

Expose the black kids more to rugby .. put the currie cup for instance on the normal sabc chanells that everyone can watch ... let them get to know the game ... saru can get the boks to go to the communties and talk with the kids and inspire them ... let all the unions like sharks wp bulls lions etc inv the lower class schools to a training session or a walk around the stadiums and tell them about the heroes of the club and the game show videos pass few rugby balls with them ... get involved this will mayby draw more black kids to the game and then develop them spend money on their development make them aware

 

[TRF_heineken]

It's a terrible comparison because of all the reasons above, if the white community decided Football was the game they'd have the financial and logisitcal systems/power in place to excel at it.

Secondly Football is a much simpler sport it's easier to play, understand and excel at, there is no requirement for specialist training as we see across the world with kids in poverty stricken areas such as Brazil excelling.



20 years is nothing





No the problem is why do they make that choice? Saying blacks prefer football is an inherently racist statement (NB: to be clear i am not calling you racist, i'm making a generalist statement), there are a multitude of reason behind why that decision is made, and it doesn't change the fact that a massive % of the countries population are not involved in the National sport in anyway.




Clearly you're having a pop at my use of the term institutionalised racism, even though you are using it in the wrong context, and of course it applies here, how on earth can it not were talking about a sport that takes athletes and rewards them on a level undreamt of in the poverty strciken parts of the country.

With all that's on offer to a top class rugby player I find the statement "they just prefer soccer' incredibly distasteful. It's like using crime statistics to say that a certain race is predisposed to certain crimes without taking into account the socio-economic impact on the society these criminals come from.


Regardles the Quota system is not racist, it's positive discrimination, that's a massive point of difference, and has been used across the world to redress the imbalance of many unfairly treated groups.

Is it right? Well no, as i've said i'm not saying Quota system is right, but if more had been done to demonstrate the development and opportunities afforded to the black population was the same as the white there would be no grounds for a quota system as everyone would be there on merit only.

And yes, it's linked to Economic development, which is why Rugby is so important within this discussion.

You find it distasteful? How about you come to South Africa, and live and breathe it before you judge me. I live in a town where the White population are severely outnumbered, yet it's one of the fastest growing cities in our country. We are one of the very few cities that still actively use our 2010 Fifa World Cup Stadium on a weekly/monthly basis. It is the capital city of the most northern province of South Africa, and is the border line of SA, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. I was in a public school. My Primary School is now 99% black and was 50% when I was in School (1992 - 1999).

We have our own Soccer team that plays in the Local Premier league, and we have 2 teams that plays in the first division. Yet we only have one rugby team, that plays Vodacom Cup and they are getting hammered by over 100 points every game.

Our city has 7 High Schools. in 2001, all 7 of them had Rugby teams and only 3 Schools had Soccer teams. Now we have 10 High Schools, 4 of them have Rugby teams and 9 of them has Soccer teams. In 14 years, the amount of rugby teams have declined by more than 50%, while the amount of soccer teams have increased by 400%!!

It's not that there was a lack of facilities or coaches or players. That was all here, readily available. It's just that Soccer is just more popular than Rugby and that the choice to play soccer is way more attractive.

Expose the black kids more to rugby .. put the currie cup for instance on the normal sabc chanells that everyone can watch ... let them get to know the game ... saru can get the boks to go to the communties and talk with the kids and inspire them ... let all the unions like sharks wp bulls lions etc inv the lower class schools to a training session or a walk around the stadiums and tell them about the heroes of the club and the game show videos pass few rugby balls with them ... get involved this will mayby draw more black kids to the game and then develop them spend money on their development make them aware

Dude, where do you live?? Clearly you are blind.

The SABC doesn't have the money to broadcast those matches, the struggle to even broadcast Springbok matches. But they are however going to show all the RWC matches.

The Springboks and provincial teams often visit the rural areas and expose the kids to rugby. That's one of the main focuses of the Boksmart campaign!!! http://boksmart.co.za/