Rugby...

[scotty]

I'm a true greenie, harsh critic but loyal fan.

 

Go Boks

[SwissVan]

Heard yesterday that the Vodacom cup quota rules will change for 2014.

Where you would previously need 5 players of colour, you will now need 7. Who in their right mind believes that this will solve any problems in the country. Between these boneheads and the current Blue Bulls, sorry springbok, coaching staff I don't see us doing much at the 2015 WC.

 

I don't give a krap what skin color a player is, as long as he deserves to be there.

This quota BS...I'm so sick of this way of dealing with the past and previously disadvantaged, how much longer will it carry on for?

Dunno how you guys live with it every day....

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/23713530

 

 

The first black coach of the Springboks says the South African Rugby Union is "wasting its time" by introducing a new racial quota system.

 

From next year teams playing in the Vodacom Cup - the professional third tier of competition in South Africa behind the Currie Cup and Super Rugby - will have to field seven non-white players in their 22-man squads.

 

But Peter de Villiers, who was head coach of the Springboks between 2008 and 2011, is against the idea and says it will not help to produce elite players.

He told BBC Sport: "It's the worst decision they could make.

 

"I don't think the SARU understands its purpose in life.

"Everybody will believe that these players will be picked because people are looking out for them."

 

The 14 provincial sides who will bound by the new rules will have to play five of the seven players in their starting XV.

Two of them will have to be forwards.

In a statement, SARU president Oregan Hoskins said the aim was to provide opportunities for young emerging players, particularly black players.

 

He added: "The intended outcome is an increased pool of black talent from which Currie Cup and Super Rugby coaches can select and - in due course - more options for the Springbok coach."

Although there has never been an official quota system in place for Super Rugby teams or the South Africa national side, they accept that they cannot field all-white teams.

There are currently nine black players in the 30-man South Africa squad for the Rugby Championship, which gets under way on Saturday.

 

Some teams that play in the Vodacom Cup such as Western Province, Boland and Border are already on target to meet the guidelines set out by the SARU - but there are big disparities between clubs.

 

Western Province often fielded nine black players in their 22-man squad and made the semi-finals of the competition last year - but the team that won the tournament, the Golden Lions, had just two.

Across the division the number of non-white players will increase from about 6% to 33%.

De Villiers, who is now in charge of rugby at the University of Western Cape in Cape Town, said he never felt the need for a quota system when he was in charge of the Springboks.

He added: "They [sARU] make people believe they care about who is coming through the system - but they only do that to tick some boxes.

"They like to report these things but you don't see the difference in reality.

"It's not the first time they have tried to put these things in place and they have never worked.

"It will only ever work if there is a transformation period in people's hearts.

"If there isn't I think they are wasting their time."

De Villiers stood down as head coach of South Africa after the World Cup in 2011.

His time in charge of the national side was colourful and controversial, partly down to his outspoken nature and sometimes because of his fractious relationship with sections of the media.

Hoskins confirmed after his appointment in 2008 that De Villiers had been an 'affirmative-action' choice.

[Blindspot]

Out of those 5 in the match day 22, how many can thank SARU for its input it had in transformation? I don't know the entire history of them all but I will give SARU the benefit of the doubt and say maybe 1.

 

In my mind a transformational success story will be when at primary school level, a kid of colour from a school in the township who has more skills than the average kid his age is spotted by a scout appointed by SARU and SARU send that kid to a better school (who probably as better coaching), all expenses paid, and at that better school the kid's skills are developed, he plays craven week on merit, gets a contract at one of the bigger provinces on merit and becomes a springbok on merit. This will a be transformational success story SARU can boast about. If the kid was spotted by say a coach of the bigger school and lured to that school, then SARU cannot get praise for transformation.

 

Who will be paying the quota players (selected on skin colour only) salary every month? If there are better players, then the quota players will not get a lucrative salary package from the provinces they play for, which means their careers are destined to be short-lived and they will most likely only play vodacom cup rugby. The players who would otherwise have been selected had it not been for the quotas will think this is BS and leave the country and the European clubs will welcome them with wide open arms.

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Is that you Mr Manuel ??

 

Nope my van is Knoetze.

[Captain K'nuckles]

Out of those 5 in the match day 22, how many can thank SARU for its input it had in transformation? I don't know the entire history of them all but I will give SARU the benefit of the doubt and say maybe 1.

 

In my mind a transformational success story will be when at primary school level, a kid of colour from a school in the township who has more skills than the average kid his age is spotted by a scout appointed by SARU and SARU send that kid to a better school (who probably as better coaching), all expenses paid, and at that better school the kid's skills are developed, he plays craven week on merit, gets a contract at one of the bigger provinces on merit and becomes a springbok on merit. This will a be transformational success story SARU can boast about. If the kid was spotted by say a coach of the bigger school and lured to that school, then SARU cannot get praise for transformation.

 

Who will be paying the quota players (selected on skin colour only) salary every month? If there are better players, then the quota players will not get a lucrative salary package from the provinces they play for, which means their careers are destined to be short-lived and they will most likely only play vodacom cup rugby. The players who would otherwise have been selected had it not been for the quotas will think this is BS and leave the country and the European clubs will welcome them with wide open arms.

 

I agree. That is where they have gotten it wrong...

[Shebeen]

But Peter de Villiers, who was head coach of the Springboks between 2008 and 2011, is against the idea and says it will not help to produce elite players.

......

Western Province often fielded nine black players in their 22-man squad and made the semi-finals of the competition last year - but the team that won the tournament, the Golden Lions, had just two.

Since when did anyone with a rugby brain listen to snor in the first place?

Vodacom cup is ideal place to do this, I'm not a fan of quotas in anyway but if it is required politically then do it here.

 

Lions winning VC means zero, they essentially loaded their team once no one else wanted to play their A-team. Still wondering how the team that only makes it to the playoffs on points difference gets to host a semifinal (after needing to win their final league game by a hundred point margin...and getting 130). Suspicious, no?

 

Weakest kiwi team? Explain?

 

They're still ranked #1, but not miles ahead like in recent times.

Who in this team is head and shoulders best in the world at their position?

At a stretch Israel Dagg, the rest are just good. Those with the experience are all past their prime.

If you say nonu and smith then I wonder how you're going to recharge your flux capacitor.

[Shebeen]

Out of those 5 in the match day 22, how many can thank SARU for its input it had in transformation? I don't know the entire history of them all but I will give SARU the benefit of the doubt and say maybe 1.

well directly..

habana, zip. family had cash and went to good school

gurthro, zip. went to paarl boys

beast, went to school in zim, sharks academy got him young

 

basson, came through the ranks at griquas, so possible

kolisi, pretty sure he's the model they want to encourage.

[flymango]

Rugby festival on telly today. Doubt I'll make it off my couch.

 

Australia vs New Zealand 12:05

Paul Roos vs Grey College 14:25

Springboks vs Argentina 17:00

WP vs Cheetahs 19:10

 

My quadfecta:

Kiwis

Grey

Bokke

Cheetahs

[Kranswurm]

Bulls vs Griquas last night was the crappest game of rugby ever

[flymango]

Bulls vs Griquas last night was the crappest game of rugby ever

 

I was sort of watching with one eye. I like the new scrum laws - will be interesting to watch it at international level later on.

[Joeboy69]

Hope we start running in the last 30 against the 14 Argies

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Looks like a training run for the boks.

Argies just never pitched.

[Lexx]

I'm sorry to say, but the All Blacks will definitely also run Amok in South Africa......

[rvdm1]

What the heck is Fourie du Preez doing in the mix...

 

What a coach. Stupido!

 

If you watched the game, the answer to your question is quite clear. Fourie was absolutely brilliant.

[Lexx]

If you watched the game, the answer to your question is quite clear. Fourie was absolutely brilliant.

 

Againt Piss Poor opposition.. The real test will be against the All Black..

[Meezo]

 

If you watched the game, the answer to your question is quite clear. Fourie was absolutely brilliant.

 

I'm one of those critics. FDP looks much faster and more sharp than Ruan Pienaar ever was.

 

Agreed too tho, Argies just never pitched.