More change needed
SA Rugby report says that Springboks have failed to meet transformation targets
Despite being hailed as a team for the nation, the Springboks have failed in their transformation targets, according to an internal report compiled by SA Rugby.
Top franchises, the Bulls and Lions, have also come under fire in the report, which focused on the number of black players picked to play at international level during 2023, the year the Boks won a fourth World Cup in France.
This is according to a report in Sunday’s Rapport newspaper, which adds that the audit encourages these teams to strive for better transformation without compromising quality and results.
Rapport says the report of 206 pages includes a number of transformation issues, ranging from team makeup at the highest level to boards and management teams, transformation at provincial level but also in women’s rugby, club rugby and at schools level, among other categories.
The report is part of the SA Rugby Union’s Strategic Transformation Development Plan for 2030, which is in line with government’s same transformation goals, and states that all national teams must have at least 60% black players in them by 2030, and boards must have at least a 25% representation of women, among other things.
The target for the Boks in 2023 was to have at least 54% players of colour in the team (black and coloured) and 27% of these being black African.
According to the report, the Boks failed in this regard — in the Rugby Championship and at the World Cup.
The report says rugby teams and bodies at schools level have also failed and that “interventions” are needed to ensure the pipeline to senior level is achieved and maintained.
At provincial level, the Sharks and Stormers made the transformation grade last season, but the Bulls, Lions and Cheetahs, of the teams playing internationally, failed. Several other local teams also failed to achieve their targets.
Meanwhile, the Springboks are set to be without Steven Kitsoff for the Test series against Ireland in July after the loosehead prop suffered a knee injury in action for Ulster.
According to Rapport, it is “highly unlikely” at this stage that Kitshoff will take part in any of the July Tests against Ireland and Portugal and he could only be available again during the Rugby Championship.
Kitshoff has reportedly damaged the lateral compartment of his knee after suffering the injury during Ulster’s Challenge Cup quarter-final against Clermont.
The injury is reported to be the start of early arthritis in the 32-yearold’s knee which, while not career-threatening, means his workload will have to be carefully managed from now on.
The Springboks open their Test campaign against Wales in Twickenham on June 22, before the first of two Tests against Ireland in Pretoria on July 6.
Rassie Erasmus will be able to select Ox Nche and Ntuthuko Mchunu from the Sharks as his two loosehead props against Wales, but may be without Gerhard Steenekamp, as the Vodacom Bulls could progress to the Vodacom URC final, which takes place on the same day.
Thomas du Toit, who has scored 11 tries this season for Bath, is another option for the Ireland series, but also won’t be available to face Wales, as the match falls outside the official Test window.