Scrumming down for the quota knock-on

01 September 2015 - 02:03 By Andile Ndlovu

It is sad that as Supersport rugby presenter Xola Ntshinga was announcing the 31-man Springbok squad to go to the Rugby World Cup I grew nervous about when the first black name would be called out. The squad was named in alphabetical order, and when the fifth name, Damian de Allende, was called I knew there would be questions about his skin colour. Twitter did not let me down.Nine players of colour made the cut. Sadly, it's come to this kind of rhetoric. It's almost like counting blessings per name. It's personal. But that's the neurosis surrounding the Boks and coach Heyneke Meyer's selections right now.In that context the urgent application by little-known political party Agency for a New Agenda to prevent the Springboks from playing at this month's World Cup is understandable (even if unhelpful), and a sign that people are fed up.I'm also fed up. For several reasons.I'm fed up with glory-hunters and their fleeting indignation at Meyer's selections. They've chosen an opportune time, what with 17 days to go before the tournament kicks off. If we are to win the battle (or argument) for transformation, it should be daily discourse, much like the uncomfortable yet necessary debate on racism dominating news reports now.We cannot wait until a month before the opening game before we disrupt preparations - which already have been quite chaotic - only to bemoan a prospective early exit from the showpiece.About a dozen years ago the ANC Youth League went head to head with Cricket SA (then called the United Cricket Board of SA), saying it was "sad and shameful" of the board to lift the race quota for the selection of national and senior provincial teams.This was just ahead of the country hosting the 2003 Cricket World Cup. The representation of players of colour in that squad stood at 33%. It was about 47% at the 2007 World Cup, and 40% at the 2011 tournament.At February's tournament it rose to 53%, although Aaron Phangiso made zero appearances and Vernon Philander's return in place of Kyle Abbott for that semifinal against New Zealand is also shrouded in mystery.Sigh.The Daily Maverick website quoted attorney Michael Bagraim saying of the Agency for a New Agenda's application: "If there is a black player who is of equal strength to a white player then, according to the constitution, the black player does have to be chosen ahead of the white player, but with sport it's difficult to prove and it will be difficult for the party to prove because they are not the coach."That's not what we want either; to have to fight Meyer and the SA Rugby Union on every selection.It is they - the administrators of every sporting code - who should be held responsible for full transformation in this country.Their ineptitude, or reluctance, will prompt the type of outcry now being heard at Stellenbosch University, Rhodes and UCT.Saru must ask itself why just a handful of players of colour - including Bryan Habana, Lawrence Sephaka, Tendai Mtawarira, Breyton Paulse, Chester Williams, Zane Kirchner, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Conrad Jantjes, Ricky Januarie, Eddie Andrews and Adi Jacobs - have been awarded more than 20 Springbok caps.And denialists must step aside. Patriotism, as US politician Adlai Stevenson once said, is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime...

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