Steve Hansen Questions SpringQuota's

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Cape Town - In a recently published book about the All Blacks, their coach Steven Hansen is quoted as questioning transformation in South African rugby.

Hansen made the comment during an interview with rugby journalist Peter Bills for his recently published book, The Jersey: The Secrets Behind the World’s Most Successful Team.

Hansen was commenting in 2017 when he was probed about the demise of the New Zealand’s Rugby Championship rivals, South Africa and Australia.

Since the addition of Argentina at the start of 2012 when the competition’s name changed from Tri-Nations to Rugby Championship, the All Blacks have won five of six editions.

“They are the only team in sport I know that doesn’t pick its best team,” Hansen is quoted as saying of the Springboks in the book.

The Springboks have a mandate of picking a team made up of 50% players of colour for next year’s Rugby World Cup.

Hansen added: “I understand what they are trying to do but... Nelson Mandela understood it better than anyone else. He knew that the Springboks was a team that could unite the nation. I still believe it is. If they got things right and allowed it to develop naturally, it would. And you would get the right people in the team. In the end, it would be a multi-cultural team.”

Hansen added that for a coach to not be allowed to pick his best team “goes against the principles of sport”.

“Rugby wasn’t a black man’s sport, but it was the sport that would unify the country in a way that no other sport or business could. Now I think that unity isn’t there so much. As a nation, it has got such a lively history and it has created a whole lot of things we will never understand, because we were never part of it.

“There is a lot of ill-feeling. But the thing they don’t want to fall into is actually reversing that. That is a pretty political statement but when you look at the rugby, one of my great mates, Heyneke Meyer, found out that having to select a team based on what colour a man’s skin is, goes against all the principles and spirit of sport. What it does is create a situation where 1) you are not picking the best team and 2) the guys that get picked are thinking, 'Am I here because of the reasons of quota or because I am good enough?'"

How could you demand the best from Beast when a Jacobs was getting free caps? That's the other problem, not all POC are equal. Is Kolisi as equal as Dyantyi? I'd say no. 

Quotas are extremely stupid. The again, it isn't meant to unite the nation, that's not the work of these Socialists and Communists. A society divided is the aim. Sport is such a wonderful tool. Just look at the saga involving Kaepernick.

It's a political idea promoted only by politicians and those that follow them without thinking. In reality, the racial makeup of a sports team has nothing to do uniting a nation. It just fuels more discord.

The ANC is like a blind man with a flamethrower in a nursery. Or like the aliens in Mars Attacks: "We come in peace", the proceeds to incinerate everyone. 

The problem with the ANC Government is that due to gross maladministration and state capture communities are neglected and do not get the necessary services from Government.   That createa a fertile ground for racist incitement.

The  EFF as an extremely racist organization is fueling the flames of discontent from a political perspective and the  issue used by them is  based on stoking up race hatred against the Whites, Indian and Coloureds.   Fearful that they may lose votes to the EFF the ANC has jumped on the racist bandwagon of the EFF.

Now back to sport.  None of the politico's are interested in whether SA rugby or cricket teams are winning or losing - it has no interest in anything but using the so-called quota system as a cheap way to enhance their political interests.   The interest of performance by the SA soccer team - the main sport of the Black community - is near to zero and the sport is in shambles - so that one cannot be  used for political purposes.

So we have to accept that insistence of quota selection has nothing to do with the enhancement of sport.   If the Government is really interested in that they would clear up the education system in State schools and enhance sport development in the education environment.  However, the education system is in shambles and the situation is that it was found that in 70% of pupils of 16 year of age cannot even read properly.  There is virtually no sport development in the schools - other than sponsored schools where funds are donated by the private sector to enhance sport development in a limited number of schools.

Now back to rugby - virtually every one of the present Blacka nd Coloured players on national level has been going on sponsorship basis through recognized sport schools.

Fact is that the ANC is just doing what they have done inside here own areas of operation.   They destroy good governance, they destroy communities and they destroy sport.   This is a factor which should receive urgent attention of World Rugby - there should be real action in an effort  to enhance improvement in race relation by outlawing quotas n sport.  That is the way to go if World Rugby is really interested in non-racialism in Rugby.

There are more and more prominent rugby personalities who are making the Hansen type of comment and I hope the matter will be considered by World Rugby as a matter of urgency.     

I believe you guys have it wrong and I'm not saying so because I believe in quotas, it's a vote grabbing exercise, a numbers game and it also shuts up the racially minded trade unions and other sorts who are quick to kick up a fuss about the racial composition of the team. Who will forget court action being taken to stop the team from leaving the country for the last WC because of its racial composition? The EFF milk that sort of thing for votes.

Mike I've just read your post and it seems like we're saying more or less the same thing.

then allot of the public must support it

Well, then its a case of history repeating itself......meaning the vast majority of whites supported Apartheid.

Maybe so but not to the extent where racism has been written into law as it was under Apartheid.

At its worst minority groups are being marginalized and the Whites have become the whipping boys. 

It may as well be. Plunging the county into hell more than makes up for it anyway. Is there anything that didn't get worse? 

Plunging the county into hell more than makes up for it anyway.

Apartheid wasn't Hell?

Apartheid was a project born of absolute idiocy. Actually, even worse, but that's beyond the scope of this thread. 

The New South Africa is worse than anything before it. An absolute failure that has failed everyone. The only thing it succeeds is attaining absolute mediocrity. 

Apartheid was a project born of absolute idiocy evil. Actually, even worse...correct.

The New South Africa is worse than anything before it. An absolute failure that has failed everyone. The only thing it succeeds is attaining absolute mediocrity. 

Sure the ANC have failed on several fronts but you forget the Apartheid government only cared about the white minority and built a grand economy on pretty much cheap black labour with the sole intent of keeping black people in poverty and subjugated to Apartheid laws.

I understand very well what apartheid was and the various figures behind it. What I also know is that the New South Africa has improved nothing. What's better? It's a hell hole; An ugly one. An embarrassment. It was a grand opportunity to succeed, but that opportunity was spurned. 

It's a hell hole; An ugly one. An embarrassment

Oh really ....So then nothings changed?

The body count certainly changed. Rape changed. Human trafficking changed. Education changed. Infrastructure changed. Worse. Much worse. It's impossible to cite the New South Africa as a success. What is the redeeming quality? Aesthetic? Not anymore. Insult to injury: the constitution is being altered to accommodate a racist initiative. Maybe when South Africa collapses entirely you'll still feel like this utopia is defensible. Nothing makes a man happier than a nice food shortage. 

I erred. The New South Africa is a wonderful opportunity for virtue signaling. 

Maybe when South Africa collapses entirely you'll still feel like this utopia is defensible.

Please be so kind as to show me where and when I've defended the ANC or the new South Africa?

I'm not getting my hopes up for a response to my question but your claim - "I understand very well what Apartheid was is either blinded or arrogant. Here, let me help.....

Denny, i hear ya.

For me, being too young to remember a great deal about aprtheid, it's a slightly dirrerent issue.

I grew up believing that there was no difference between me and my black class and sports mates.

Now, i'm told there is. I'm also told that i caused the state of SA today and i'm individually penalised without there being any evidence that i ever did anything wrong. So, whatever you were subjected to under apartheid, i'm now being subjected to, granted to a lesser degree. But then, if i told you not to whinge because the Jews had it worse than you, you'd probably not be happy with that reasonsing. Same as i'm not happy with people comparing my gripes with those of people udner apartheid.

So, was i racist growing up. Certainly not. Am i starting to dislike black people and their elected government more and more each day. Yes.

Anywa, CC agreed to the chess thing. How long do you normally take to complete a game? The two of you should probably play thie firs one. Since youre the pros

Denny is losing his nerve because he wants to have us marvel at the splendour that is post-Apartheid South Africa. I've encountered all of these cliche defence mechanisms before. He fails to grasp that this new cutting edge modern South Africa is worse. That doesn't mean apartheid was good. That's the first defence they use to relativistically justify their position. It's flawed. I hate apartheid; I hate the new South Africa. Weighing up the level of mediocrity and devastation, the Nu SA is much, much worse. How can one make a case for it being a success? Not everything can be blamed on apartheid. Approaching 30 years. What have they done? Nothing. 

Denny

As you know my school years was spent in the Southern Cape where most Whites did a lot to ease the plight of the Coloured inhabitants,  That does not mean that Apartheid could ever be justified.

Apartheid was wrong - as wrong as is the present situation where Whites, Coloureds and Indians are marginalized and discriminated against.  It is still early years in the latter process.   I can see that land without compensation will be starting  of a process where no property (domestic or otherwise)  owned by present owners will be secure.   If a Black person wants my house he will be allowed  to move in and kick me out.    

At this stage 8% of all house sales comprise people fleeing from the country in despair.   That could represent a flood of hundreds of thousands of people leaving SA per year,   And it not only Whites who are involved. 

If I was 40 years younger I will be one of the departees/refugees.  I can only hope that the Zimbabwe starvation situation does not develop in the short period I still have to live.        

 Mr Plum.

Allow me to clear up a few misconceptions. I don't support any political party, I despise racism.....let me drill down and say I despise white on black or black on white racism or racism of any group on another. 

Clearly the country is still race obsessed.....I've said as much several times. The Mandela dream alongside of mine has been wiped. The ruling ANC has done nothing to racially unite South Africa. The ANC under Zuma has bankrupted state owned enterprises. Poverty has increased and when poverty increases so does crime. My family living in South Africa has been seriously affected by serious crime, so also my friends.

I'm not about to make comparisons between the holocaust of the Jews and Apartheid. Start another header with that one if you wish.

Neither will I sit back and allow some arrogant twit to tell me that life was so much better for the oppressed under Apartheid. Specially when the Twit comes across as being both ignorant and arrogant and has the audacity to say he "well understands Apartheid"

How the hell can he when he was born and raised in the white bubble of Apartheid.

You though are a victim of circumstance, many of us are.......how angry am I allowed to be when as a child I witnessed broad daylight murder and gangfight stabbings?...followed by the indifference of white police wrapping the body in a blanket and throwing it into the back of a police wagon.? That case would never be investigated. Just another typical day in Apartheid South Africa.

Was our erstwhile friend aware of the above small sample  I've served?

Don't think so. 

This white dominated site is all fine and dandy when you singalong with rubbishing the new South Africa, rubbishing the ANC and sanitise, oh by the way there were a few mistakes made under Apartheid as if it was like catching the common cold. 

So Alucard or whatever dumbass name you call yourself these days.......how's about you just answer my question hmmmm? C'mon bigmouth be a sport.

Denny is losing his nerve because he wants to have us marvel at the splendour that is post-Apartheid South Africa

Oh boy, thanks for the laugh you political deviot...... you're hilarious

Mike

What is yur point? If anything, you're just regurgitating what we already know but just in case I'm missing something feel free to tell me.

I think Ramaphosa has something to offer the country and he has surrounded himself with a few good men like eg Gordham and Trevor Manuel. So there is hope although it's the last throw of the dice. I don't entirely disagree with you Sharkbok but the state of crookery started under Zuma's reign, perhaps a bit earlier but it certainly gained momentum under him.

Should add that it's worth noting that the ANC had no formal grounding in politics and it's fair to say in hindsight that they went from being a resistance movement to governing  a country....huge difference.

@ Denny

I think that you sit in quite an interesting position in terms of looking both forward and back. It's just a shame that in SA the only voices that count are radical ones.

Unless one screams hatred nobody will listen. What's worse is that we can't even rely on the fact that the older generations that caused all this shit will eventually die and the younger ones with fresh ideas will take over. Because right now, the young people, born long after apartheid ended, are having their humanity corrupted all in aid of starting fresh cycle of hatred from scratch.

It would be nice to believe that SA's darkest days are behind it. 

When one considers our healthy leaning towards leftist socialism and the racial victimisation that is happening right now, it's hard to imagine a peaceful  or productive future.

The weird thing is that when you leave your house, you tend to only ever meet good people who are quick to smile easy to talk to. 

My feeling is that this country is ready/ripe for another Mandela like figure to stand up. Problem is he can't be white and if he's black or colored he'll be called a house boy. 

Problem is he can't be white....that's the problem...a false democracy that's the real problem.

The truthful answer is another question ; "why not if he's the best and most competent leader"

The clique "Rainbow Nation" is a joke unless you're ever seen a completely black rainbow....sad.

A disney land that still believes there is "a pot of gold" at the end of a black rainbow.Hahaha

Fools!

Mr Plum

"........in SA the only voices that count are radical ones..."

Right there is the problem. 

Malemna and his lunatic radical EFF scream the loudest and with national unemployment at 27%(I believe the figure is higher with some towns running at 85%),  the EFF makes for a lot of appeal when they offer a block of land and a house to the gullible and unemployed. Even so it wouldn't be hard for Malemna to grab the vote of those desperate at any glimmer of hope.

Ramaphosa is aware of the threat Malemna and the EFF pose,  a threat he cannot ignore if the ANC is to retain majority power and with SoE's bankrupt the ANC has no sweetener to attract voters. The EFF in power would be the mother of all nightmares, they beat the racial drum a lot louder than any other political party in the country.

These are acutely desperate times for South Africa and its people.

I've always believed that a strong black middle class would keep the country on an even keel, perhaps the only hope but to achieve that it's obvious the economy has to grow.....and it's not. So yes you're are right, there is no peaceful and productive future on the horizon, well not unless Ramaphosa's latest economic plan to kickstart the economy is a success. With all that in mind it's not hard to understand why the government is desperate to reduce black unemployment at the expense of minority groups.

My other concern is who is going to replace Ramaphosa, there are no visionaries around, not in the spirit of Mandela.

Denny, Ramaphosa can only do whatever his mandate from the ANC NEC allows. Yet, he has 10 years? Maybe a new, proper leader will emerge. The DA and Vusi is not the answer. We need something and someone new. We still live in hope over here, but I'm starting to doubt my decision to stay in the country . It's too late for me to  leave, but Ill encourage my 3 boys to leave after the finish school.  Very sad realization for me...I wanted the New SA to work...badly....FCK!!!

Denny

Bar a very few honest Ministers appointed by Ramaphosa, the rest of the ANC qualifies for membership of the real name of the ANC at present = the Association of National Criminals.

I was for a while sympathetic to the ANC ideals and was impressed by both Mandela and  Mbeki.   However, I can still remember how I warned the then Mayor of KwaDukuza when Zuma was elected as ANC leader that things are bound to go horribly wrong.  He said not to worry, they will make sure he is properly controlled.    Instead of that happening the crooks took total control.

I have no idea who can take over from Ramaphosa.   The latter is undermined  within the ANC by the crooks who still support Zumas and Zuma could still cause major havoc.  If anything happen to Ramaphosa before the election - there will be absolute chaos.   What is clear is that there is a real problem that the ANC may split sooner or later and that the real reactionaries will take over together with the EFF.

The economy is not improving and the number of jobless people are increasing on a virtually daily basis.  With that in mind there is no guarantee who will emerge as leader after the next election.   Fact is the outlook for the country is increasingly dim .      

Denny said " I've always believed that a strong black middle class would keep the country on an even keel, perhaps the only hope but to achieve that it's obvious the economy has to grow.....and it's not."

So did I, at least when I was a lot younger but I've seen Africa and lived for a short while in Zim/Rhodesia and grew up with African people...they generally, because of subsistence and different traditions, have been gate-crashed into modern western society which is as far as the east is from the west, no they are not backward in their own norms and traditions but this has caused a conflict...they have been forced to adapt to western society...they see the benefits but sadly they are in conflict...something of "a love /hate relationship". I've drawn the conclusion that struggle with sophisti ictated norms of modernised structures and struggle to compete with other nations and are totally in general incapable of handling economics and business...yes there are always exceptions to the rule, ie like CR but still there's something that lacks generations of sophistication and breeding.

All of Africa is a total mess, they destroyed Kenya, Tanganyika, Uganda, Nigeria, Gold Coast (Ghana) and N&S Rhodesia, not to mention the Belgium Congo into cess pools of poverty.

Denny said " I've always believed that a strong black middle class would keep the country on an even keel, perhaps the only hope but to achieve that it's obvious the economy has to grow.....and it's not."

So did I, at least when I was a lot younger but I've seen Africa and lived for a short while in Zim/Rhodesia and grew up with African people...they generally because of subsistence and different traditions have been gate-crahed into modern western society which is as far as the east is from the west, no they are not backward in their own norms and traditions but this has caused a conflict...they have been forced to adapt to western society...they see the benefits but sadly they are in conflict...something of "a love /hate re;ationship". I've drawn the conclusion that struggle with sophisticated norms of modernised structures and struggle to compete with other nations and are totally in general incapable of handling economics and business...yes there are always exceptions to the rule, ie like CR but still there's something that lacks generations of sophistication and breeding.

All of Africa is a total mess, they destroyed Kenya, Tanganyika, Uganda, Nigeria, Gold Coast (Ghana) and N&S Rhodesia, not to mention the Belgium Congo into cess pools of poverty.