SA Rugby boss: Lots more to do to transform rugby

SA RUGBY president Mark Alexander has admitted there is “still lots more to do” to transform rugby, but said “we will get there”.

Alexander was speaking at the launch of the Black Rugby History A to Z digital exhibit at the Springbok Experience Rugby Museum at the V&A Waterfront yesterday.

The digital installation is part of a project to collate the often “hidden” history of black rugby in South Africa until the sport’s unification in 1992.

The event was attended by Saru legends such as Faiek “Blatjang” Hendricks, William Diba, Ebrahim Rinquest (Saru captain in 1957), Broadness Cona, Ismail Schroeder, Fagmie Solomons, Cassiem Jabbar, Irvin October, Tariq Britton and other luminaries.

“We only see one side of South African rugby. There is no history of the non-racial Saru. There is no history of South African Federation rugby.

“It looks like we only started playing yesterday. If you take Transvaal, where I come from, we celebrated our centenary. It is older than the current Golden Lions board. We need to capture it, otherwise that history will just fall away.”

Alexander said the exhibition was part of healing old wounds, but also part of the future, especially Saru’s mission to make the Springboks a brand that the entire nation could be proud of. “We always get blamed for not doing enough, but we will get there.”

He said Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus had done “a wonderful job” with regard to transformation.

“He has picked the most (black) players ever. We have a black Springbok captain. And all those players deserve to be there. They are not quota players,” Alexander said.