Selection row set to blow
Transformation time bomb
TWENTY years on from one of the Rugby World Cup’s defining images – Nelson Mandela presenting the trophy to Francois Pienaar to the delight of a “rainbow nation” – South Africa’s struggles with transformation and the racial make-up of
their national team continues to make headlines.
A fringe political group, Agency for New Agenda, had its action to stop the Springboks travelling to England thrown out of court on Wednesday, but there may still be a judicial inquiry into whether the pace of transformation is quick enough in rugby, given the make-up of South Africa’s 31-man squad for the upcoming tournament: 23 white players and eight “of colour”.
When South African Rugby Union (SARU) vice-president Mark Alexander said he was “satisfied” with the squad’s demographic, it was interpreted by some reporters as meaning there were nine players of colour in the 31, which would be closer to the 30% target set in SARU’s “strategic transformation plan”. SARU have since confirmed the correct number is eight, and that Stormers centre Damian de Allende is white. The first thing to understand is that transformation is a non-negotiable cornerstone of everyday South African life, post-apartheid.
The second is that while targets are set, there is no formal punishment if they are not met. Among the astounding 71 “key performance indicators” in the strategic plan unveiled this year, the most talked about was the 30% figure for the World Cup, and the ongoing target that non-whites should make up 50% of all domestic and national teams by 2019.
There was just one non-white player – Chester Williams – among the 28 Springboks who won the 1995 World Cup under Pienaar’s captaincy. Whether eight today is too many, just right or insufficient is entirely subjective.
The Springboks’ head coach, Heyneke Meyer, maintains De Allende and every other player is selected on merit, although SARU are obliged to report the relevant figures to the government.
Much attention has focused on the uncapped scrum-half Rudy Paige, who was selected for the squad alongside the experienced Fourie du Preez and Ruan Pienaar, and ahead of the arguably better-qualified Cobus Reinach – who has played in 10 Tests in the last 12 months – and the 35-times capped Francois Hougaard.
Pity poor Paige, who would be forgiven for feeling some of the pain of Kaya Malotana, the wing who played one Test for the Springboks, against Spain in 1999.
Now retired, Malotana recently called his selection “both a blessing and a curse – a blessing... to represent my country at the highest level and a curse because the headlines had labelled me a ‘quota’.”
Certainly Meyer will want to avoid the controversy that blighted South Africa’s cricket team in their losing World Cup semi-final last March.
There were claims, denied officially, that a last-minute text message from Cricket South Africa persuaded the Proteas to drop bowler Kyle Abbott in favour of Vernon Philander, to raise the nonwhite representation.
How much any of this has contributed to the Springboks’ poor recent run is unclear.
They have slipped to fourth in the world rankings, and lost all three Rugby Championship matches, including a home defeat by Argentina. There were only two non-white players in the starting team that day, prompting talk of “racist choices” by a trade union.
An educated guess is that the subject will stay in the shadows if South Africa win the cup for a third time. If the Springboks stumble in the pool, or get knocked out in the quarters, watch out.