The dream of a new era where race won’t matter

WOW! If you read C M Mathey “playing race card is old hat” (Weekend Argus June 9, 2018) then one can see that we have a long way to go. Mathey keeps referring to their/they, some divide we can’t seem to bridge, then Mathey goes on by making racial jokes. Please read your letter again and then refer to the word “patronising”. We must change and stop undermining and ridiculing others. Ashwin Willemse did well in expressing himself in a calm manner.

One of South Africa’s greatest cricketers was given nine opportunities before he blossomed into the great cricketer he has become. That same privilege is not afforded to quota players. The quota player gets snide remarks when selected, criticised while playing and dropped before his sweat is dry, after playing his first game. That is why he has to play twice as hard and hopefully get another opportunity. Mathey implies if he does become good it is due to South Africa’s 9% minority group who coached him

By the way, Saturday’s rugby success, with so many quota players, was not a first. The Springboks’ first ever victory over All Blacks at Dunedin’s Carisbrook “House of Pain” ground on July 12, 2008; half the team were quota players. Also match day captain Victor Matfield was in the sin bin when the winning try was scored by Ricky Januarie.

Guess who was the affirmative action coach?

“It took us 100 years to win here and hopefully we won’t have to wait another 100 years to win again,” said centre Jean de Villiers.

We should try and emulate the spirit of the Sevens rugby, as there seems to be more camaraderie, even around the fans. Perhaps it being a “new sport” and does not come with the perception of “privilege”.