It's not alright!!!

Well howdee ho to you all.

First rugby blog of the year, how saved were you? :) But I can't keep quiet any more. 

I am DISGUSTED!!!

So Yesterday was known as sports and culture day in SA. A great initiative it was. But in a way and in my opinion ofcourse, it highlighted how far we still have to go and how race will still be our reference point in this country. Shaiza as much as I want to move from that point in my life, when i read the Springbok team sheet of: 15-Willie le Roux, 14-Bjorn Basson, 13-JJ Engelbrecht, 12-Jean de Villiers, 11-Bryan Habana, 10-Morne Steyn, 9-Ruan Pienaar, 8-Duane Vermeulen, 7-Willem Alberts, 6-Francois Louw, 5-Juandre Kruger, 4-Eben Etzebeth, 3-Jannie du Plessis, 2-Adriaan Strauss, 1-Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements: 16-Bismarck du Plessis, 17-Gurthro Steenkamp, 18-Coenie Oosthuizen, 19-Flip van der Merwe, 20-Siya Kolisi, 21-Fourie du Preez, 22-Pat Lambie, 23-Jan Serfontein

This is a team put together in 2013 and it is hard not to notice that out of a team of 23 players other than Pat Lambie, Siya and Beast, this team is Afrikaans (no issues with people of Afrikaans descent at all) or have a tie to the Bulls. I know it may seem like I am nit-picking but that is the reality of what i see. I have never in my life been so irritated, ever. You all know me, I loooove my rugby, but yesterday I couldn't bring myself to watch the game and that was a first. I watched the first 20min or so and found myself looking for flaws and hoping against all hope that the Pumas would destroy this team. That's not right!! So I opted for Athletics and Man United instead and I don't like Man U much.

I want a team selected on merit but not biased merit. So which players of colour do I believe deserve to be in the Bok team but are not one might ask? lets see Chilliboy, he has had his best season by far for the Bulls, it shows what consistent game time can do for a player, but no instead we bring in a player who has just had ACL surgery. No doubting the class of the man, but he was injured. Siya Kolisi, man of the match in one of his tests, possibly SA's premier flanker in the last 2 years, but not good enough, we will rather bring in Willem Alberts who hasnt done anything this year!! Yes on the other hand Richie hasn't played for 6 months and gets to start the first test, this may not sound like a good enough reason but the man is without peer at the moment...and i think his performance for 73min yesterday proved that. And he wasnt injured, just taking a time out to freshen up...Then there is my bug bear, JJ engelbrecht and Jan Serfontein, can someone please tell me what they have done of note? I doubt anyone can, yes they are 95kg and  98kg respectively, Leigh Halfpenny is 85kg did you see how he played for the Lions? So why oh why do they get a look in ahead of Juan de Jongh? He isn't old, he hasn't let the Boks down any? Did you guys watch the Stormers v Bulls 30-13/ I cant remember Serfontein running over/through De Jongh even once. I am not saying Juan is phenomenal, but man he is no worse than either JJ or Jan no worse and given the amount of opportunities the latter have been given I think with his footwork, he could be better than both, because with his 88kg's he will have to find ways to deceive instead of ATTEMPT to run through...

Please tell me none of those gents don't deserve to be there on merit. Then there are outsiders like Trevor 'bad boy' Nyakane and Raymond Rhule, are you telling me that if they are given the same opportunities that Jan and JJ have been given they wont shine and be even better players?

You see, what I see happening in SA rugby is just not right. Or am I a delusional buffoon? Perhaps, I may well be, but could someone then please correct my thinking. To think that in 2013 a test team can be compiled as this saturday's Bok team was and we are all expected to go yaaay let us gooooo, in my mind is totally unacceptable! I hate the word quotas, but i think it definitely has to be brought back into club and provincial rugby, because clearly its the only way!! It's only human nature to stick to what you are familiar and comfortable with and as such without being forced to look outside your 'comfort zone' as a coach, you won't. A team like the Southern Kings for example, the biggest disappointment for me this year. A promise of a representation of the Eastern Cape, but what it was, was a representation of more of the same. Players like Mpho Mbiyozo, Tiger Mangweni, a captain of the EP Kings, left out in the dust. Daniel Odongo, good enough to play for Counties in NZ and even drafted for the NFL but cant get a start in the Southern Kings!! and that's OK? Did anyone see how Mpho played when he did actually get a chance? The Kings finished near the bottom anyway so where would the shame have been in playing more players of colour as wes envisaged? Players like Terror Mtembu for the Sharks, how impressive was he for them on their overseas leg of their tour? But he can't even get a start in the Currie Cup!! And that's OK?!!

Some might say but what do you care, because you support the All Blacks anyway, yep and that's why I care so much.

It's not OK!!

Have a good week all