Bean Brain yr drunken mates need to pull their heads in...Allegations of racial taunts against coloured Springboks players have been raised as South Africa prepares to play the All Blacks this weekend.
Management of Newlands Stadium in Cape Town are investigating the claims that surfaced during last weekend's Springboks win over the Wallabies.
They are following up a complaint from a spectator who alleged a group of men dressed in khaki outfits used a derogatory term every time a non-white Springbok player made a mistake during the game.
Allegedly confronted by an offended member of the crowd, they turned on him aggressively and verbally abused him as well.
Photographs and video footage have been presented to stadium management.
Rob Wagner, managing director of Western Province Rugby confirmed the investigation to Cape Talk Radio after the issue was raised on air, and it has been picked up by mainstream media.
"We are aware of the incident, it has been brought to our attention," Wagner said in an interview with the radio station.
"I want to make it quite clear Newlands won't tolerate racism of any kind. Our stadium rules specifically address that. We will do everything in our power to trace the [alleged] offenders."
He said the stadium had the ability to ban individuals.
South African rugby is coming to terms with a controversial racial quota being introduced to the game that insists half the Springboks side must be made up of non-white players by 2019.
The system, still to be confirmed by the government - though that seems a formality - is to be gradually introduced from next year when there are plans to enforce the selection of seven players of colour in the Springboks match day squads of 23.
The changes from next year are planned to extend below the test team, also applying to national sevens, youth and schoolboy teams and to the Currie Cup sides that make up the country's national championship.
A Facebook page has been opened under the name "Boycott SARU [South African Rugby Union] - Springbok rugby for implementing a racist quota system".
So far, there are only 282 "likes" for the page.
The group has also launched a petition calling for the SARU to "scrap the new racist quota system".
"We call on the IRB, sponsors and also other rugby nations and teams from across the world to Boycott SARU - Springbok rugby - for implementing a blatantly racist quota system," the petition says.
"We also feel that if the IRB does not decide to do anything about this, we assume and accept that they fully support racism and discrimination."
The group claimed "this cause has the support from members consisting of all different races" and labelled SARU's actions as "racist", saying there was no quota system in the selection of South Africa's national soccer team demanding the inclusion of a set number of white players.
"This is a slap in the face for players of colour who will without a doubt now be labelled by the international rugby community as being charity cases who only made the team because of skin colour," the petition continues.
"It is not fair on them, because there are in fact players of colour who play amazing rugby, players who work hard to get where they are based on merit and the ability to play the game.
"Can you imagine how current players of colour might feel now when they run onto the field, proud? Happy? No, they are being made a spectacle of by SARU. The problem is not the inclusion of players of colour, it's the method in which the situation is approached and forced onto the system.
"By all mean yes do more to promote the game in disadvantaged communities to help grow the sport. It will be good for the entire community of rugby and you will without a doubt uncover and develop great skill and ability to work with. Why force it though? It's crossing a line of racist dictatorship pretty much."
When quota measures were announced last year for the Vodacom Cup, the third tier of South African professional rugby, they were described as "a waste of time" by Peter de Villiers, the first non-white coach of the Springboks. He held the job from 2008-11.
"It's the worst decision they could make," de Villiers told the BBC at the time.
"I don't think the SARU understands its purpose in life.
"Everybody will believe that these players will be picked because people are looking out for them.
"It's not the first time they have tried to put these things in place and they have never worked.
"It will only ever work if there is a transformation period in people's hearts.
"If there isn't I think they are wasting their time."
But South African rugby and government officials have become frustrated at the pace of transformation in the game, hence the ramping up of their measures.
- Stuff
