Give black talent a chance

BLACK people have been playing rugby since it was introduced by the Rev RJ Mullins at the Kaffir Institute that was part of St Andrew’s College in Grahamstown.

The game grew with Union, the oldest team being formed in 1890 in Port Elizabeth at what is now Grey College, the school Siya Kolisi attended. Wednesdays were school sport days, when clubs scouted for players. On Saturdays, thousands came to cheer their teams, to feel like normal human beings for a few hours before they went home and the reality of apartheid kicked in.

Due to the apartheid laws, different races played separately, each with their “national” teams, with only the white Springboks able to tour and host test matches. The anti-apartheid movement used sport as a tool for liberation, targeting the Springboks, which led to the team being banned from world rugby.

In 1992, a unified rugby union was formed and South Africa was readmitted to world rugby.

I was one of the millions who celebrated when Joel Stransky scored that drop goal to win the 1995 World Cup on home soil. But over the years I have grown impatient with the lack of willingness to transform. Twenty-one years later, there is no transformation at all levels (Springbok, Super Rugby, Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup). The Vodacom Cup was supposed to develop black players, but they make up only 10% of the players.

Please do not get me wrong, I am not saying I want to see average players in the team. All I am saying is that players should be selected on ability and not race, surname, or if your uncle or father played for whoever, and certainly not what school you went to.

The Springboks are still selected from the same pool of schools.

Blacks are systematically locked out using various means. I have seen players who in high school were firstchoice players but when they turn professional are sidelined and given contracts to make up the quota of black players. All they do is carry the tackle bags and never get a fair chance to prove themselves while the white guy who used to be third choice in high school becomes first choice.

Apartheid allowed white players to receive superior education, opportunities and sporting facilities compared with their black counterparts. White players thus had better chances for development and exposure to a higher level, which contributed to white dominance within sport, particularly rugby and cricket. All we ask is for the playing fields to be levelled, for black players to get a fair chance to prove themselves.

The sad part is when you say add black players, a lot of people say that you will weaken the team. The amazing thing is schools like Dale College and Muir College sometimes have the first team made up only of black players who sometimes play a whole season without losing a game.

People should embrace black excellence because it is here to stay.

Mqolomba is an Eastern Cape-based film director