Former South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has criticised the new Bok set-up, labelling Heyneke Meyer's squad "too white".
De Villiers, who coached SA from 2008-2011, isn't happy with the racial composition of the current side after Meyer started three non-white players - Bryan Habana, Zane Kirchner and Tendai Mtawarira - in the past four Rugby Championship games.
Meyer is already under pressure from South Africa's rugby-mad public following the two wins, two draws and two defeats from his first six Tests in charge since taking over from De Villiers.
And Meyer might be facing even more pressure should his predecessor's campaign to change his mix of players gathers pace.
"We have to know what country we're living in, and at the moment we're turning a lot of black people against us by making the team white," De Villiers - the first non-white head coach of the Boks - told Ballz Radio in an interview.
"People don't want to talk (about race), but I have to... we're breaking up the country, and damaging a sport that we all love.
"We do have a lot of great (black) players who can make a difference. You have Gio Aplon - here in Cape Town - who can make a hell of a difference.
"You've got Juan de Jongh, an exciting player who can make a difference. We never played (Siya) Kolisi - who's now injured, he was never given a chance," added De Villiers.
"There are a lot of players like Chiliboy Ralepelle (who is also injured). He was the one guy who can make that 10 per cent difference that you need from a replacement to come onto the field.
"We're turning all the black support against the Springboks. Wherever I go I hear people talking negative about the Springboks."
Comments
sharkies says...
PDV is just a sour puss, he was just a front, the whites have to rally behind the scenes to carry them. Imagine a team selected on merit, devoid of English ,Afrikaans, colour crap and all working to a common goal, then we wil be like the all blacks and then maybe we can claw back that deficiet between the two teams.
Posted 03:11 01st October 2012
letsgoboks says...
Race what? SCREW RACE!
Anything to do with anything in SA is dragged through this race muck by the same old id1ots. The youth today literally don't give a damn about what colour you are. But we have these old pretenders dragging history back into sports, politics ... you name it, over and over. Giving South Africa a bad image and polluting our people with their poison. This must stop.
Twenty years of this drivel yet The 'majority' have had control of the country... but somehow they are hard done by. The 'minority' go day to day and try re-build the country however they can but are blamed for things out of their control. The truth about it all is - Things are incredibly unbalanced - when times are tough it's just way too easy to blame the past.
Back to rugby - This guy should never have been given the time of day. Its embarrassing he even made it past coaching junior school rugby.
The problem with our team today is the gameplay. Not the players. HM will get it right. He's having to pick up the shattered pieces of a team left by a coach who was never qualified for the job. In 2/3 years time we will be an incredible force, we just have too much talent not to be. I would also like to point out that the springboks aren't as dire as everyone is making them out to be. Sure - we aren't beating the All Blacks... they are the best team in the world. It's their time. But we did give them a run for their money and we will beat them once things have settled. Anyone going up against the Boks fear them. They know it wont be easy. And that's a credit.
Rant over.
Posted 13:37 23rd September 2012
carpelone says...
Melkiwi
Please speak about things you know and we will remain friends.
Posted 15:30 22nd September 2012
irishaussie says...
*PDV
Posted 01:21 22nd September 2012
irishaussie says...
JDV knows the pool of players to choose from is mostly white, there simply isn't enough black players to select.
the question is why is he making these comments... perhaps he is bitter and he wants his old job as head coach back. These comments are a clever and easy way to increase the pressure on Meyer.
Posted 01:20 22nd September 2012
ruggaluva says...
PDivvie... Always spouting at 12,000 rpm while the brain idles along at 1000 rpm - every south african would be quite happy to see many more players of colour in the team on merit because that would mean that we were getting the best out of our national demographic. 80% of our nation has not been brought to the great game of rugby. P div should shut his mouth about the Boks and get working on Saru to spend some time and money at the government schools trying to bring the youngsters into the game !
Posted 14:23 21st September 2012
exodus says...
@Kappelange
I'm sorry mate but you are quite wrong on a few things. Firstly, having lived in SA and abroad and being coloured myself, my experience is that someone walking into a room and going most likely to his racial group is something that can be said to happen more exclusively in SA. So that argument can¿t be taken seriously on an international debate level. Second, Kolisi is injured but Marcell did deserve his chance and has been our most consistent loose forward. Aplon or Mvovo on wing? Personally I'd prefer Hougaard because he adds the half-back element and he is a great player by instinct and very reliable on defense. But he'd be 2nd choice if JP Pietersen was around. And who is JdJ supposed to replace? I'd like to see him replace JdV but he is the captain so that's a no for now. Which other injury free non-white players should be in the squad? There are hardly any.
I think PdV is really being stupid by speaking with such carefree abandon about sensitive issues. He accused others of racism when they criticized him early in his career yet he does a similar think to HM but in a more blatantly racialist way. Sure, HM doesn't have PdVs ability to unite the nation behind the boks yet, but as a coach he should be judged on the merit of his team. People are saying negative things about the Boks because they aren't winning right now. If we are patient, that will change as I personally believe HM is still very much learning on the job. Look how much the team changed since game 1, unlike with PdV. I also believe that players like Kolisi, Jantjes and Carr will get their chance in the Bok jersey too. If PdV wants to do more for this country, he should use his largesse to help build grass roots and schools rugby for black players and stop saying such things that only add vitriol to an already divided and battle-worn population.
Posted 10:31 21st September 2012
Melkiwi says...
The problem with SA rugby isn't its too white its because they have an out dated game plan and a coach who is too afraid of change.
If they were winning then it will be a different story. Abs is a fine example of a team that's pick on ability rather than skin colour and they've been going ok.
Posted 10:01 21st September 2012
Carpelone says...
Wallaroo
Just don't ask, that would not be politically correct.
Posted 09:40 21st September 2012
new_j4a says...
@kappelange I understand what you mean and agree with what you say except about soccer...it is a kak game and worse that watching paint dry. What we really need is all those talented kids playing rugby.....then we'll produce a team that more accurately represents the rainbow nation.
Posted 08:20 21st September 2012
LeftRightOut says...
The problem starts at the top - there are not enough non-whites in the coaching team (and perhaps in SARU?) - bring back P-Divvy to make up the numbers, as that is more important than results apparently
Posted 01:16 21st September 2012
kappelange says...
@ lawynd
You're not South African nor are you black I presume. The point i tried to make (and i now realise it was a bit unrealistic as an example) is that when you are black/white, your natural instinct is to associate yourself with people of your own race.
I'm not saying people of different ethnicities dont socialise. My best friend is white but the majority of my friends are coloureds.
There arent any good Locks of colour in our country so I wont complain about them not being picked.
But when Kolisi, Aplon and De Jong are being left out and Engelbrecht, Olivier and Coetzee are given undeserving chances it makes you wonder.
Coetzee is a good player and he has proven that he belongs, but why wasnt Kolisi given a chance. They are the same size, play a similar style and are both inexperienced but why Coetzee and not Kolisi?
Posted 19:39 20th September 2012
KubilaKhan says...
The problem with the Boks is most certainly the lack of black players, so lets select an all black team and give them the same old coaching strategies and gameplans that the Boks have used since 95' That will make them win. PDV is really legitimently crazy, I really think he just misses the old attention he used to get as coach.
Posted 19:38 20th September 2012
lawynd says...
kappelange says..."For example, when a black/white guy enters a room and sees two groups of people, one group just black and the other just white..."
Stop, stop right there. Have a think about what you've just typed, and ask yourself if you think that's a situation that is even conceivable in most of the civilised world; it certainly isn't to me, an Englishman. If that's the point you're starting from then I'm afraid the racial composition of your national rugby team is the least of your worries.
As it is, in your first post you hit the nail on the head - "...obvious bias for his bulls darlings." Why does it have to be any more sinister than that?
Posted 17:40 20th September 2012
Wallaroo says...
ROLMAO, the clown is back in town. Agree with ACG the funniest part of this article is how many injured / unavailable players he mentioned as part of his racially balanced squad.
@All_Saffers including kappelange, what would the consequences have been if this statement had been in made by a white bloke about having to many blacks in the team? Just curious.
Posted 17:09 20th September 2012
rugby_rockstar says...
Awwww man, not again!?! Okay new rule. anyone who wants to play for, manage, coach or talk to journalists about the springboks has to paint themselves purple.
Now chop, chop, off to the dulux factory with the lot of you.
Posted 12:27 20th September 2012
melkdave says...
Wasnt PDVs last squad ,just as white,just why has he even been given a platform.We all know he spouts nonsense,and this nonsense is dangerous to boot.Players should be [picked on ability alone full stop ,race colour creed or sexual orintation ,are irrevalent.
Posted 12:12 20th September 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
His argument is at its best when he criticises HM for not picking injured black players.
Posted 11:40 20th September 2012
kappelange says...
@noord_transvaal
I went to a high school with the majority of white students. The thing is that they dont take soccer seriously and consider it a black sport. Me being a coloured thought it was a bit racist but in a way i kinda understand. For example, when a black/white guy enters a room and sees two groups of people, one group just black and the other just white, his natural instinct would be to join the group of the same ethnicity.
The problem of soccer is, is that there arent any good white players that I can name but the the one that is in the starting 11. In rugby there are a dozens of black or coloured players that i can name at the tip of my tongue.
Its a problem of participation, more black and coloured kids are interested in playing rugby and very few white kids care much about soccer.
I myself would like to see a change in mentality in soccer aswell because i believe SA is a sleeping giant of soccer, all we need to do is market the sport differently and get saffas of all ethnicities interested in the sport. If you look at how well we do in all other sports it wouldnt be a stretch to suggest we could be great in soccer aswell.
The problems just cant be compared because they are of a different nature.
Posted 10:25 20th September 2012
APV1 says...
@ kappelange - you agree with him?! Are you as mad as he is?
Honestly, do you wake up in the morning and think you're a banjo? No? Well behave then.
You may not agree with HM's selections, but please don't tell me you think PdV's perception of colour is sensible.
Please.
Posted 09:53 20th September 2012