RugbyRebels

Former Springbok wing Tonderai Chavhanga is saddened that transformation in South African rugby is often viewed in a negative light.

The four-Test capped winger who scored six tries on his international debut against Uruguay in 2005, spoke exclusively to Sport24 and shared his views on what he calls "a touchy topic".

“It’s really sad to see the level of negativity associated to it (transformation). It has often been used to cause further division among people as opposed to being harnessed positively. In South Africa we talk about transformation so much and there are many negative connotations associated. No player wants to be selected based on skin colour,” Chavhanga said.

“You want to be selected because you are the best and all players want to be treated equally. Unfortunately, even for those players of colour selected there will always be the quota tag hanging over their heads.”

According to Chavhanga, players of colour constantly have to prove themselves as being worthy of playing at the top.

“There is so much pressure put on players of colour. Elton Jantjies, for argument’s sake, has played phenomenally well over the last year in particular, but it seems as though he has to prove himself every single weekend. I know it’s Super Rugby and Test Rugby, however, I feel players of colour constantly have to prove themselves worthy of their places and that’s really unfair.

“I really feel for players of colour when they have a bad game because they are held to a totally different standard. A number of talented players of colour have been lost in the system and haven’t gone all the way to the top. I’m not suggesting the players should be babied, but they have to be given every opportunity to succeed, and we must close the gap between Craven Week and U/19 and U/21 levels.”

Chavhanga, 33, said he was proud to be a black Springbok.

“The most important message that comes with being a black Springbok is that it reinforces the notion that rugby is for everyone. With each black Springbok that is selected and seen thriving in the green and gold jersey, thousands of black kids are inspired to take up the sport whether for fun or with the hope of one day also representing South Africa. For me, the message of inspiration and raising hope is most important. Playing for the Springboks was akin to climbing Mount Everest owing to where I came from. It was an incredible honour to have worn the Bok jersey.”

http://m.sport24.co.za/sport24/Rugby/Ru ... y-20170922

A black & white issue - or not?

Cape Town - A former black rugby player has taken exception to Jake White’s suggestion of picking a predominantly black Springbok team to face Wales.
White made headlines this week when he suggested via a column for the All Out Rugby website that Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus should pick a predominantly black team when the Boks open their 2018 season with a Test against Wales in Washington DC on June 2.
Thando Manana, a former Bulls loose forward who played three tour matches for the Springboks, told Netwerk24 that White’s proposal was “short-sighted”.
“It’s White’s opinion, but what he’s actually saying is that these (black) players only have enough value to play in a meaningless Test, which actually is a money-making scheme for SA Rugby. I’m not impressed with the thought-process," Manana said.

Manana added: “Yes, we have to give black players opportunities, but why in a Test without meaning? I take exception when he says that black players are only good enough to play in meaningless matches. Then we might as well send a black team to go and play against Italy and Argentina... it will be a dark day if that happened.”
A week after the Wales game, the Boks will play England in a three-Test series and due to the short turnaround, White believes Erasmus should select two different teams.
"If I was the Bok coach, I’d look to pick a team against Wales that is made up of local players with a special emphasis on those that count towards the transformation targets," White wrote earlier this week.
"Siya Kolisi would potentially captain a side that featured Tendai Mtawarira, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Trevor Nyakane, Marvin Orie, Lood de Jager, Thembelani Bholi, Nizaam Carr, Embrose Papier, Damian Willemse, Raymond Rhule, Damian de Allende, Lionel Mapoe, Ruan Combrinck and Warrick Gelant."
White added: "This team would serve the dual purpose of banking transformation credits to create selection breathing room for the England series, and would also give all of these players a chance to put their hand up on the international stage. Some people might see this as a throwaway selection but I would pick this team to win based on the fact that these players are good enough to battle the best of Australia and New Zealand almost every week during Super Rugby."
South Africa's first Test against England is scheduled for June 9 at Ellis Park in Johannesburg, with Tests in Bloemfontein (Free State Stadium, June 16) and Cape Town (Newlands, June 23) to follow.
Visit the All Out Rugby to view White's line-up for the first Test against England

https://m.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Springbok ... 180419#_=_

This has always been the problem with racial quotas and so-called affirmative action policies; they actually penalise the most successful of those they're alleged to be helping, because none of them can ever escape the suspicion that they were selected for reasons irrelevant to their abilities.

As for the stupid euphemism, calling a racial preference policy "transformation" doesn't make it any less despicable or stupid.

I think they're doing a good job. Eventually we'll see the Boks back on top with teams more reperesentative of their country ethnically than we were seeing a few years ago.

Pretty poor comments by Hansen. https://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/RugbyCh ... y-20180920

Saying rugby wasn't a black man's sport is like saying voting in elections wasn't a black man's privilege in the Apartheid era.