Numbers still don't add up to transformation

On April 25 last year, SA Rugby was given a government stiff arm in its bid for the Rugby World Cup because of the glacial pace of transformation.

With the 2022 Commonwealth Games having fallen through, however, Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula gave the green light to bid for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Whether the Springboks can meet the 35% quota that got them out of trouble is another matter.

In his first press conference of the year, Springbok coach Allister Coetzee said transformation was going to be difficult, but he would be looking to select the best players.

That will be difficult because the European exodus has stripped South African rugby to the bone.

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It should have left SA Rugby with the opportunity to transform the game and judging from the numbers, there are Super Rugby franchises who are getting there and there are those who do the bare minimum. None of them meets the 50% threshold SA Rugby has set for the Springboks for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Here are how the numbers panned out in the first five weeks:

Week one: 40 players of colour in the six match-day 23s (22 players of African descent). Highest number: Southern Kings, Stormers, Cheetahs (eight), Bulls (seven). Lowest: Lions four.

Week two: 40 players of colour in the six match-day 23s (26 players of African descent). Highest number: Southern Kings (nine), Stormers (eight), Bulls and Cheetahs (seven). Lowest: Lions (four).

Week three: 32 players of colour in five match-day 23s (15 players of African descent). Highest number: Southern Kings (nine), Stormers (eight), Cheetahs (six). Lowest number Lions: (four). Bulls had a bye.

Week four: 27 players of colour in five match-day 23s (13 players of African descent). Highest number: Sharks, Southern Kings and Bulls (six). Lowest number: Cheetahs (four). Stormers had a bye.

Week five: 39 players of colour in six match-day 23s. (17 players of African descent). Highest numbers: Stormers (10), Southern Kings (seven). Lowest numbers: Bulls and Lions (five).

A bye week with the Stormers and the Kings had a serious impact on transformation numbers.

On the numbers alone, the Lions seem to be negligent. They have consistently fielded a minimum of four and maximum of five black players. However, they are the only team with a black flyhalf in Elton Jantjies.

While Sharks coach Robert du Preez has pressed Curwin Bosch into service, he surprised with the unproven Benhard Janse van Rensburg ahead of Innocent Radebe and Garth April, two black players.

Radebe and April were competent flyhalves under Gary Gold and did well in the Currie Cup and Super Rugby.

The season will still take its toll as there are the South African derbies to come, along with trips to New Zealand, starting with the Bulls yesterday and with the Stormers and the Cheetahs to come.

By the time the international break comes, these numbers will change because of injuries and recoveries. The numbers are not where they need to be and may derail Coetzee's plans for a fully transformed Springbok side against France in June.