The Springbok National Rugby team had departed for the World Cup with divided support‚ and the issue of transformation now “demands serious attention from all who administer the game”‚ Congress of the People (Cope) spokesperson Dennis Bloem said on Tuesday.
“Furthermore‚ the enormity of the loss to Japan‚ in the opening match‚ has brought the issue of transformation even further to the fore. No one‚ however‚ can continue to separate the game of rugby from broader societal issues. They are inextricably interlinked.”
He said the bulk of the players in the national team seemed to come from a limited number of elite schools that had historically been associated with producing Springbok rugby players.
“Thus‚ while the Springbok team is slowly becoming increasingly multi-racial‚ it has become the preserve of a new elite.
“This is highly ironic. Rugby in its early years in England was also strictly for the upper classes. South African rugby‚ regrettably‚ is now both a class and a race issue.
“Cope therefore urges government to adequately resource our schools‚ especially those in the townships‚ so that more children will have opportunities to learn and play rugby amongst other sports. Only then will the pool for selection widen considerably.”
Bloem said that in Cope’s view‚ the South African Rugby Union should commit a fixed percentage of its income to the provision of rugby coaches for schools.
“Cope will continue to put questions to both the minister of basic education as well as to the minister of sports. We will want to know about government’s endeavours in widening opportunities and the progress being made in respect of school rugby‚ cricket‚ soccer and tennis.
“Cope believes that it is very counterproductive to have controversy about team selection raging endlessly. It is better to invest proactively in our youth so that adequate talent will emerge from all quarters to enable selectors to choose a national team that is truly representative of our country. Schools must nurture rugby and other sports with greater commitment.
“Meanwhile‚ Cope calls upon every South African to support our national team during this World Cup tournament. The players need our support. Their success will give a boost to rugby and to the drive for transformation. Right now we should seek to win the cup for the third time and use the momentum from there to take our rugby forward‚” said Bloem.
Springbok selection issues require fixing at societal and school level: COPE
“Furthermore‚ the enormity of the loss to Japan‚ in the opening match‚ has brought the issue of transformation even further to the fore. No one‚ however‚ can continue to separate the game of rugby from broader societal issues. They are inextricably interlinked.”
He said the bulk of the players in the national team seemed to come from a limited number of elite schools that had historically been associated with producing Springbok rugby players.
“Thus‚ while the Springbok team is slowly becoming increasingly multi-racial‚ it has become the preserve of a new elite.
“This is highly ironic. Rugby in its early years in England was also strictly for the upper classes. South African rugby‚ regrettably‚ is now both a class and a race issue.
“Cope therefore urges government to adequately resource our schools‚ especially those in the townships‚ so that more children will have opportunities to learn and play rugby amongst other sports. Only then will the pool for selection widen considerably.”
Bloem said that in Cope’s view‚ the South African Rugby Union should commit a fixed percentage of its income to the provision of rugby coaches for schools.
“Cope will continue to put questions to both the minister of basic education as well as to the minister of sports. We will want to know about government’s endeavours in widening opportunities and the progress being made in respect of school rugby‚ cricket‚ soccer and tennis.
“Cope believes that it is very counterproductive to have controversy about team selection raging endlessly. It is better to invest proactively in our youth so that adequate talent will emerge from all quarters to enable selectors to choose a national team that is truly representative of our country. Schools must nurture rugby and other sports with greater commitment.
“Meanwhile‚ Cope calls upon every South African to support our national team during this World Cup tournament. The players need our support. Their success will give a boost to rugby and to the drive for transformation. Right now we should seek to win the cup for the third time and use the momentum from there to take our rugby forward‚” said Bloem.
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