Yet again, we give up a record that we hold over a provincial team. Munster have not ever beaten a SA team but tonight we witnessed some quality players having to put up with all of the rubbish that surrounds them.
Let’s be honest, the boks probably were a dominant force until the 1970s, but back then there were very few test matches played. Of course, Europe had to endure war and this was really disruptive. Tours would be long and the team normally travelled by ship.
One of the most memorable traditions was when a player retired, he would throw his boots off the side of the boat when travelling home. Signalling an end to his career.
Move forward 20 years and we have the jet age arriving and the world became a smaller place and more test matches could be played.
But back in sunny SA, a new evil arose and that was Aparteid in the 60s. I had the misfortune to be in the same team as John Voster grandson. I could tell that this guy and his whole family was a piece of shit. The school and coaches were in awe of this kid, but he just had a lot of arrogance.
We kept players from all races separated. However, back in the late 80’s our school would arrange matches with the coloured teams. Our coaches were very warm towards the players. Even though us, with Boer genes were bigger, they were faster, amazing tacklers and very cunning. We would beat them, but we had so much of an advantage over them. Most of them probably never even ate breakfast.
Then move forward to re-admission, the boks ego was bloated and we thought rebel games were a real yard stick. Yet, New Zealand squeezed a win and then Australia humiliated us.
Roll forward to 95, Madiba and coach Kristie made sure that rugby finally used for the right reason.
We would continue with the tug of war between government and the rugby administration. I can understand both sides, but neither would be patient enough.
And yet again, different government but same old politics hampering us.
Rugby in SA have been used so many times as a political tool. How many times do we have to put up with poor coaches. We had snorre, Coetzee and now stick to deal with.
There are now some fantastic black talent and when we speak of them, we don’t criticise their colour but whether they are good on defence, can they man up or do they hit rucks as often as the other player.
But yet, we still have this thing that Rassie has now created by making sure that it will always be 50%, no matter the consequences. We have a young lock Nortje that probably should have won a few caps by now, but we have the useless Orie. Not because of his race but he is terrible in the line outs and his general play. He is 30 and taking up a seat that a younger player would gain more from.
So the ultimate enemy in SA rugby has never been race. It was always politics, from when we came out of the boer war and wanted to get back at the poms to when the Apartheid government didn’t want to play Maori players that they would come up with nonsense like honourary whites.
I just wish we could put all players in head to toe suits that you see some fans ware in the stand or dressed like Spider-Man, you don’t know the colour but you can sure as hell see whether they are good or not.
I thought we moved on past race, but we now have a sevens coach that is black and couldn’t win a single game in the Hong Kong sevens, same players but different coach that has no clue what it takes to be a coach. It is okay to be assistant but there is no hiding when you have to lead.
But there is more, even the assistants are causing damage. We as South African for so many years just put up allowing under qualified people to take up positions that they didn’t earn.
I’m not a fan of communism, my wife is Russian and I have visited that country. It is not easy, but every person in that country work extremely hard. There are so many educated people but they compete against one another to get the best jobs as there is no favour. Just the best people get put forward. The same can be said of china.
Yet, whether you are white or black, depending which side of history you are on. It was always in one race favour.
I’m advocating for equal opportunity. Coaches, players and support staff have to make their way in their field.
Jake white coached boarding school rugby, got picked up by Mallet as technical advisor to the boks and took the baby boks to a World Cup. He then went on from there take over the boks and got us the World Cup.
Pieter de Villiers had similar success with the baby boks and we all are probably a bit harsh on him, he was a good coach and I remember watching his Stellenbosh B team tare up other teams with their attack. However, he was to political.
Now we have Rassie, sticking to his guns and happy with a 55% win ratio and it doesn’t matter if our A team is loaded with quotas on and off the field.
Yes, there would be less players of colour and we won’t hit that 50% target some times.
But any coach who would deny a talented player, no matter their colour would be foolish not to select the best.
Just look at New Zealand, they don’t care who they select. If the player is the best, they select him. The same can be said of England.
I honestly believe that there are very few or any racist coaches left.
As long as every young rugby player have the same treatment and the same opportunity from a young age, then surely the best will rise to the top.
I’m just scared what is coming next and after Rassie. Is he going to hang around, take the England Job or Australia?
Will it be stick or Deon Davids the next coach with no decent background. Not even a under 21 trophy to speak of.
Let’s just hope this horror tour end soon and we finally have a rugby administrator that says enough of race. We select the best, all players have the opportunity to succeed.
