posted Jun 14, 2007

Wow I am Sam you really are a boring old fart.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jun 14, 2007

...Never in doubt, but you're still a simpleton, bokbefok...

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jun 14, 2007

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jun 15, 2007

I must admit that some of you made some very interesting comments, quite inspiring. I almost thought that I was the only one concerned about this crisis.

To those that think we are taking rugby too serious, I disagree because this problem is much bigger than rugby and is penetrating the very fabric of South African society.

I do think that we need to make sure we don't forget the grave injustice done to the black people of South Africa. As a South African myself, I can sort of understand why the government wants equality for all but they are going about it in the wrong way. However, I completely disagree with ruining one of the great sports of our country, Rugby.

Personally, I think the government has far bigger problems to tackle like HIV, Poverty, Crime and Corruption and should not be wasting any time with interfering in rugby.

I agree with the right man for the job, regardless of colour, I believe that the same rules should be applied to the football team, I believe that quotas are not the solution and I think that the international community & the IRB that stood up against apartheid government in the past should stand up to this positive discrimination government.

Having said that, I understand why nobody gets involved in this, because quite frankly, why should they? It’s not their problem. And I semi-agree with that because the world has far bigger problems, not least in Africa and should focus their efforts on solving the macro level problems of out world which in my opinion, far outweighs rugby.

Sad as it may be, I will await that inevitable day with you, when SA Rugby goes down the doldrums and becomes the laughing stock of World Rugby. Maybe then the SA government will feel satisfied that they stripped a large part of the white mans identity from him as pay back for the horrors inflicted on them in the past!

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jun 15, 2007

Like religion, sport should never be mixed politics.....There are a number of talented & exciting 'non-whites' in South African rugby, and they are there on merit. If we are to choose players solely by their colour of their skin, the standard of the sports team will undoubtedly drop. South Africa has some of the most passionate sports fans in the world and if their teams do not perform to standards they feel they should be, South African fans will stop attending the stadiums in which the so passionately support their team. This will then lead to a drop in incoming revenue from gate receipts etc. and I hasten to add a drop in employment opportunites for businesses who offer their services in and around sport...... A drop in revenue received by the respective rugby unions will mean less funds for the promotion and training of grassroots rugby that is so important for the future development of South African rugby and most importantly the future generations of South African children.....

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jun 17, 2007

By the thinking of racially representative sport, the SA Football team ought to have at least 1 white and 1 Indian player fielded at each match. In fact their abyssmal failure in recent years could be insinuated as due to the lack of 'white' players.

Perhaps we need to put this whole sorry saga to rest once and for all by letting the Government directly intervene and appoint a 'black' coach and team with at least 10 black players and see their butts get truly kicked for one season. The true rugby fans would stop showing up after the first game, viewer ship would be down, TV stations might boycott buying the rights and SARFU would find itself massively in debt. Now that would be a typical 'African' move, cut off your nose to spite your proud face.

In sport you pick the best team for the job if you want to win and maintain your reputation as one of the world's best, you can do everything within your power to help make Black players appear among the best, but ultimately the final 15 or 11 or whatever are totally colourless names who made the grade. There is not a single successful coach in the world who would disagree with that.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jun 18, 2007

Sam_I_Am: Good points all and well argued.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jun 18, 2007

i believe that i man should only be chosen on his ability, so the clour of a mans skin should not come into it, but i think that this is pay back time from the black goverment to the white south african rugby union player who in the past was used as a political tool by the then white south african goverment. we must remember in the past when goverments and sporting bodies have got together to try and destroy other sport or sports we as a nation have done nothing to right that wrong all we have done is to turn a blind eye to the situation and now i just think what goes around comes around and as far as the south african goverment is concerned its pay back time.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jun 21, 2007

This is a probelm, and not just for South Africa, but a lot of the world at the moment. If someone is in the team becuase of the colour of there skin, and not ability, it is racism. Probably one of the worst kind, Anti-Racism. I think there is even a saying that goes something like 'the worst racist is an anti-racist'. If there is not, there should be.

Like most places, it is impossible to discriminate against the majority. In this case, white male. In other cases, it could be any colour, gender etc, just the vast majority. Can you imagine if you were the best fly half in your counrty, by far, but were not in the team because you were white. Perhaps just as bad, if you knew you were NOT the best fly, that someone could do a better job, and perhpas your team just lost becasue you missed a couple of kicks when the other guy would have converted, but you are in the team because you are black. To be selected because of your skin, not on merit, just as bad I think and equally racist.

This happens everywhere, even in England. Perhpas not in sport, but elsewhere. The police is well known for this. It is know, as they have even tried to change the law to make it legal, that they will choose a ethnic minority or women or a white male anytime. Even, I suspect, if the white male is more deserved.

This is wrong, on both parties equally. It is the kind of thinking that stirs up racial hatred.

Look at some NBA teams in america, does it represent the american public. NO. America is, I think, mostly White, with a large percentage black. Most NBA teams are filled with black players, Why? is this because white people are being racially held back. No. Black people just tend to be better at it, more black people seem to play it than white. Baseball last time I checked was more filled up with white people. It is more to do with culture. Basetball seems more of a 'black sport' in america, baseball seems more of a 'white sport'. This is very stroetypical, but i think you get my point. The best fifteen rugby players should always be picked to play, period. If there is a problem with rugby development amonsgt the black community, then deal with that, promote it, make it more playable but do not start picking inferioir players. Sport and Politcis should never mix, that is part of its appeal.

add comment | complain about this comment